First Fécamp Gravity-Based Foundation Starts Taking Shape

The construction of the first concrete gravity-based foundation for the Fécamp offshore wind farm has started at the Bougainville yard in the Grand Port Maritime of Le Havre, France.

The consortium of Bouygues Construction, Saipem, and Boskalis will supply and install the wind farm’s 71 gravity-based foundations.

Each weighing up to 5,000 tonnes, the foundations will be installed at the Fécamp project site off Normandy, in water depths between 25 and 30 metres.

Bouygues, the consortium leader, and Saipem, are in charge of the design, construction, and installation of the foundations.

Boskalis will carry out the design and preparation of the seabed rock foundation prior to the installation. The Dutch company will also carry out scour protection and ballasting of the foundations after installation.

The works are expected to be completed by the end of 2022.

The 500 MW Fécamp offshore wind farm is being jointly developed by Eolien Maritime France (EMF), a joint venture between the French company EDF Renouvelables and the Canadian company Enbridge, and wpd offshore.

The wind farm will feature 71 Siemens Gamesa SWT-7.0-154 offshore wind turbines installed between 13 and 22 kilometres off the Seine-Maritime department.

Offshore construction is scheduled to start in 2022 and the wind farm is expected to be fully commissioned by the end of 2023.