EMS Maritime Offshore (EMO) has started building the operations and maintenance (O&M) base for Vattenfall’s Nordlicht offshore wind farms in Germany. The facility is being built on EMO’s premises in the Port of Eemshaven.
The developer expects to start using the building by the end of the year and will initially use the facility to host Nordlicht construction teams.
Under a contract Vattenfall and EMO signed last year, EMO will build and lease the O&M base in Eemshaven to Vattenfall on a long-term basis.
“Over the coming years, a tremendous amount of work will be required for Nordlicht, so establishing a strong O&M base in Eemshaven is essential. This new facility is a key element to keep construction on track—on time, on budget, and with the highest standards for safety and sustainability. From an operational perspective it is crucial that Nordlicht can be run efficiently and in the most climate-friendly way possible” , said Cyril Moss , Nordlicht project director at Vattenfall.
Vattenfall recently took the full final investment decision (FID) for the 1.6 GW Nordlicht offshore wind cluster, comprising Nordlicht 1 and Nordlicht 2, after securing an irrevocable permit for the second phase.
The two Nordlicht wind farms, located 85 kilometres north of Borkum Island in the German North Sea, will comprise a total of 112 Vestas V236-15.0 MW wind turbines, of which 68 will be installed on Nordlicht 1 and 44 on Nordlicht 2.
Monopile installation on Nordlicht 1 is scheduled to start in the third quarter of this year, while Nordlicht 2 will follow approximately one year later, with both wind farms expected to be operational in 2028.