Jan De Nul’s new offshore jack-up installation vessel Voltaire will have its debut on the 3.6GW Dogger Bank offshore wind farm in the UK.
With a lifting capacity of over 3,000 tonnes and standing taller than the Eiffel tower, Voltaire is the largest of its kind in the world, Jan De Nul said.
The Voltaire will transport and install the world’s largest offshore wind turbines, GE’s Haliade-X 12-MW , at Dogger Bank, which sits 130km off the Yorkshire coast. When complete, Dogger Bank will generate enough energy to power over 4.5 million homes every year – around 5% of the UK’s electricity needs.
This is the first contract placed for Voltaire , which will enter into service in 2022.
Philippe Hutse , Offshore Director at Jan De Nul Group, said: “We are delighted to be selected as the transport and installation contractor for the next generation of turbines at Dogger Bank. The size of this giant project coincides perfectly with the capacities of our jack-up vessel Voltaire. It underlines that we are entering in to a new phase of OWF construction. We are proud to be at the forefront of offshore wind construction at Dogger Bank.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farms secured 3.6GW of offshore wind contracts in the UK Government’s third contracts for difference auction.
Record low prices were awarded for the three projects making up Dogger Bank Wind Farms : Creyke Beck A, Creyke Beck B and Teesside A.
The project is now moving towards final investment decision, expected in 2020. SSE Renewables will lead the development and construction phases of Dogger Bank Wind Farms and Equinor will lead on operations.
Steve Wilson , Project Director of Dogger Bank Wind Farms: “Jan De Nul Group has a proven track record of transporting and installing new generation offshore wind turbines at scale. Delivering Dogger Bank will be a testament to the skills and expertise of all of our partners in the supply chain, so we are very pleased to welcome Jan De Nul Group on board. Bringing the Voltaire vessel into the Dogger Bank project means we now have the most innovative turbines on the market being installed by the largest jack up vessel ever seen in the industry.”