MHI Vestas Offshore Wind has signed a contract with Vroon Offshore Services for the supply of offshore logistics support, accommodation and walk-to-work services during construction of DONG Energy’s Walney Extension West offshore wind project.
Vroon will deploy its newbuilding subsea-support vessel VOS Start, which provides accommodation and work space for up to 60 client personnel.
The vessel will be fitted with a motion-compensated gangway facilitating easy transfer of personnel, equipment and spare parts to wind turbines during commissioning. VOS Start is also able to perform “mother-ship” duties for crew-transfer vessels, Vroon said.
In December 2015, MHI Vestas received the order for the supply of 40 V164-8.0 MW turbines for the 330MW Walney Extension West project in the UK.
The Walney Extension project is located in the Irish Sea, approximately 35km northwest from the Fleetwood and Blackpool coast. The Walney Extension West will be the first phase of the 660MW Walney Extension offshore wind farm project.
The construction is scheduled to commence in summer 2017.
Once fully commissioned in 2018, the wind farm will be delivering power to over 600,000 British households.
VOS Start, and its sister vessel VOS Stone, will be delivered to Vroon by Fujian Southeast Shipbuilding in China ready to commence operations in the 2017 season.