Germany: Seajacks Scylla to install monopiles at Veja Mate

Offshore WindForce, a joint venture between Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V.  and Volker Stevin International (VolkerWessels), has awarded Seajacks UK Limited the contract to provide the Seajacks Scylla, for the transport and installation of 67 monopiles at the consented Veja Mate 400MW wind farm.

The Seajacks Scylla will be delivered to the client in March 2016 and the first load out of 67 monopiles at the base port of Eemshaven in the Netherlands is expected at the start of April 2016. While working on the project, the Scylla will transport and install monopiles which are 85m in length and exceed 1,300 tonnes in weight.

The wind farm will be built some 95km north west of the island of Borkum in the German exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and will be connected via the existing Borwin 2 grid hub. Full commercial operation is slated for the end of 2017. With a production of approximately 1.6 TWh per year, once complete it will be amongst the largest offshore wind farms in the world.

Sebastian Brooke, Commercial Director for Seajacks UK, said: “Installation of monopiles at Veja Mate is a very pleasing win for Seajacks. As with the previous four Seajacks vessels, Scylla will be delivered on-time and on-budget and all parties working on the Veja Mate project are confident in her delivery date. We feel fully justified in our decision to build this pioneering vessel at this time, and the selection of a very high quality shipyard in Samsung Heavy Industries.

Veja Mate is far offshore and in deep water, the project requires a large installation jack-up that can ensure safe and efficient transport and installation of XL monopiles. This is exactly the kind of project we envisaged for Scylla when in the design phase, so it is pleasing that we secure this project only a few weeks after her planned delivery to Europe.

Following the Meerwind project, the Seajacks teams have vast experience of installing monopiles in Germany and alongside Offshore WindForce, we are very confident in another successful project for Seajacks.”

The Seajacks Scylla will commence sea trials in September, with final delivery in October 2015. The vessel will then be transported by a heavy lift transport vessel to North West Europe.

Sander Dekker, Project Director Offshore WindForce, said: “We are very proud to be awarded with the EPCI foundation contract for the Veja Mate project. For a safe and efficient installation of the 1300 tonnes 7,8 m diameter monopiles a new generation installation vessel is required. We strongly believe that we have found this vessel being the Seajacks Scylla. With Seajacks we trust to have contracted a very professional and experienced partner. We look forward to our cooperation and to a successful project.”

Upon delivery from Samsung Heavy Industries, Seajacks Scylla will be the world’s largest and most advanced offshore wind farm installation vessel. Sailing at speeds of 12 knots or over, Scylla will be outfitted with 105 metre long legs that have the ability to install components in water depths of up to 65m. Scylla will be equipped with a Huisman 1500t leg- encircling crane, incorporate useable deck space in excess of 5000m2, and have over 8000t of available variable load.

Seajacks previously installed all 80 monopiles and transition pieces in the Germany sector for the construction of the Meerwind Offshore Wind Park. Working as main installation contractor, their work included installation of scour, monopiles, TPs and turbines while also taking responsibility in other areas such as noise mitigation.

The Veja Mate offshore wind farm project reached financial close at the end of June 2015.