GE Renewable Energy and ACTA MARINE sign contract for Saint-Nazaire offshore wind farm commissioning Service Operation Vessel

GE Renewable Energy and ACTA MARINE announced today the signature of a supply contract for the chartering of a Service Operation Vessel (SOV) for the commissioning activities of 80 Haliade 150-6MW turbines at the Saint-Nazaire offshore wind farm (“Parc éolien en mer de Saint-Nazaire”).

The vessel, ACTA AURIGA, is owned and operated by the Dutch shipping company ACTA MARINE, and will start operating on behalf of GE Renewable Energy in the second quarter of 2022, when the offshore wind turbine installation is set to begin. Departing from the Port of Saint-Nazaire, the vessel will assist in the mechanical completion and commissioning of the 80 Haliade 150-6MW offshore wind turbines located approximatively 12km off the coast. ACTA AURIGA will also provide safe accommodation and transportation for the project personnel and will have the capacity to transport goods that are needed offshore.

John Higgins, Project Management Leader at GE Renewable Energy Offshore Wind says: “We are very happy to collaborate for the first time with ACTA MARINE and to be able to charter the ACTA AURIGA SOV during the mechanical completion and commissioning phases.

I trust that the quality of the vessel’s design and the skills of their teams will support our project teams in executing the offshore works on time and with quality. As a key player in the offshore wind industry, we continue to develop a network of high skilled suppliers that will be able to help us provide the best service to our customers.”

Simon Anink, General Manager Commerce at ACTA MARINE comments: “We are very pleased that the experienced team of GE Renewable Energy has chosen our walk to work vessel ACTA AURIGA for the offshore works on Saint-Nazaire offshore wind farm and we are proud to be part of the first large scale offshore wind development in France. We are convinced the ACTA AURIGA will be a good fit for the project and will provide a comfortable stay for the technicians offshore and an efficient execution of the offshore scope for GE’s project team.”

The Saint-Nazaire offshore windfarm, located off the coast of Saint-Nazaire (FR), is managed by a consortium between EDF Renouvelables and Enbridge, and will be the first commercial wind farm in France. It is a key milestone in the development of renewable energy in France and a first step in the offshore wind sector to support France’s renewable energy goals.  Commissioning is due to be completed by the end of 2022.