Ahead of the turbine installation at the Race Bank offshore wind farm, due to start at the end of April, A2SEA’s jack-up vessel Sea Installer has been fitted with four massive adapter rings for wind turbine tower sea fastening.
The four adapter rings were shipped from the manufacturing company Valmont SM in Rødekro and travelled some 180km to the harbour of Hvide Sande.
It took four large trucks and escort cars to ship the adapter rings to Hvide Sande and, due to the size of the rings, several roads were completely closed for the trucks to navigate the narrow roads of Western Jutland in Denmark, according to A2SEA.
Upon arrival, the four adapter rings were lifted on board the vessel and secured to the deck foundations with bolts.
Sea Installer is expected to depart Hvide Sande during this week, setting sail to Newcastle, where it will be mobilised by the UK company WD Close.
Once in Newcastle, the adapter rings will be bolted additionally and the vessel will be ready to carry four giant Siemens towers at a time to the Race Bank offshore wind farm.
The 580MW offshore wind farm, which will consist of 91 Siemens 6MW turbines, is located off the North Norfolk coast and is being built out of DONG Energy’s construction base in the Grimsby Fish Docks.
Race Bank is expected to be fully commissioned in 2018.
Prior to this, A2SEA’s Sea Installer was deployed on turbine installation at DONG Energy’s Burbo Bank Extension in the Irish Sea. The vessel installed the final MHI Vestas 8MW turbine on 14 December 2016 .