Grimsby’s Royal Dock has been confirmed as the home for Triton Knoll’s offshore construction and operations and maintenance facility after the project signed a port lease with ABP in Grimsby.
A new construction and longer-term Operations and Maintenance base will be constructed across nearly four acres. Tendering for a contractor to build the facility is also underway, and due to be concluded later this Summer.
Triton Knoll also aims to recruit new and existing technicians to its team, with the first up to 20 roles expected to be recruited and in place by the end of the year.
Julian Garnsey , project director for Triton Knoll and innogy, said: “We are very pleased to be establishing our long term home in what could be considered to be the hub of the offshore wind industry. The recent Offshore Sector Deal sets out the huge potential of offshore wind to create up to 27,000 high skilled jobs in UK coastal communities. Continued commitment to new and expanding facilities such as ours with ABP, means we can deliver even greater investment into coastal communities and businesses, where jobs and economic regeneration are most needed.”
New facilities to be constructed at ABP’s Royal Dock will provide the base from which Triton Knoll will manage the construction and 20-25 year operations and maintenance activities of its offshore site, which is over 145km2 in size.
As a result, the port will support regular, long-term vessel movements, including service operations vessels and crew transfer vessels, during both the construction and operations phases.
“This new lease further underlines Grimsby’s place as the world’s largest offshore wind O&M port,” Simon Bird , Regional Director for ABP Humber, said.
”The Port of Grimsby has seen exceptional growth in terms of supporting the renewable sector in recent years and already supports almost 1.5GW of installed capacity. It is through this collaborative approach that ABP can proclaim we are at the centre of driving the green supply of energy for the nation. “
The 857MW Triton Knoll offshore wind farm will consist of 90 of MHI Vestas 9.5MW turbines, two substations and over 100km of cabling. The wind farm is jointly owned by innogy (59%), J-power (24%) and Kansai Electric Power (16%), with innogy managing the construction of the wind farm on behalf of the partnership.