The foundation installation at the Gwynt y Môr Offshore Wind Farm is well underway, with half of the 160 monopiles installed at the 576MW offshore wind farm.
FoundOcean has been securing the turbine transition pieces to the monopiles using BASF’s high strength Masterflow® 9500 grout, the only grout which comes with a ‘Statement of Compliance’ from DNV for use in the grouted connections of offshore wind farm foundation.
FoundOcean has been working with RWE onboard its vessel, Friedrich Ernestine, over the winter months grouting transition pieces in weather conditions at ambient temperatures as low as 2⁰C.
“When we were evaluating grout materials, the ability to mix and pump Masterflow® 9500 at low temperatures was an important attribute, as this bad weather capability went hand in hand with the improved significant wave capability of the Friedrich Ernestine vessel,” remarked Hans Kahle, Managing Director of RWE Innogy´s Offshore Logistic Company OLC.
Simon Wright, FoundOcean’s Project Manager at Gwynt y Môr said, “This is currently the largest wind farm ever constructed on the UK’s west coast and therefore required a robust materials logistic solution. FoundOcean and BASF adopted a system capable of delivering large volumes of cement over the construction phase which can react very effectively to project demands.”
As of April, FoundOcean moved from a 12-hour to a 24-hour grouting operation as Gwynt y Môr focused on grouting. Seaway Heavy Lifting (SHL) will again be supporting the operation, and FoundOcean has mobilised an additional 12-hour grouting spread, working from SHL’s vessel, the Stanislav Yudin.
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Press release, June 5, 2013; Image: FoundOcean