Vattenfall has completed the construction of a 30-meter-long floating crew transfer pontoon in Aberdeen Harbour, which will be used for its European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC) in Scotland.
Built at the Albert Basin, the 180m² pontoon will initially be used to support the construction of EOWDC and then as a marine support base for its on-going operations and maintenance (O&M) program.
It has been specially built on Commercial Quay West as part of a 24-year agreement with the Harbour Board and can accommodate up to three crew transfer vessels at any one time, the harbour said.
“The mooring pontoon will provide a safe means of embarking and disembarking the crew transfer vessel which shuttle technicians to the EOWDC offshore site, Scotland’s largest offshore wind test and demonstration facility,” Adam Ezzamel , EOWDC Project Director at Vattenfall, said.
“As a result, we are pleased it will also become a new renewables asset for the harbour and support the development of the region’s marine renewables industry.”
The pontoon was designed and installed by Scottish-based companies, further supporting the Scottish renewables supply chain, Aberdeen Harbour said, adding that it is the only one of its kind at the harbour.
Aberdeen Harbour Commercial Director, Matt North , said: “We are delighted to be providing a marine support base for this important development, and this initiative represents the port’s first long-term agreement in support of an offshore-wind project.”
The 93.2MW EOWDC , also called the Aberdeen offshore wind farm, is currently in the offshore construction phase and is expected to generate first power this summer.