Currently, the crane ship Bokalift 1 is berthed in offshore port IJmuiden, the Netherlands, where it has been loaded with a subsea drilling template constructed by Breman Offshore.
After preparation works in the IJmondhaven, the Bokalift 1 will set course to the offshore wind farm site in the Bay of Saint-Brieuc, 16.3 kilometres off the French coast.
Early May 2020, the developer of this wind farm, Ailes Marine, selected Van Oord to transport and install 62 jacket foundations and the foundation piles for the offshore substation. Van Oord will start the offshore operations in 2021 with the installation of the pin piles using its installation vessel Aeolus. To perform the drilling of these piles, Van Oord commissioned TWD to design the template and Breman Offshore for the final construction.
Breman Offshore constructed the subsea drilling template in a period of just four months with the highest possible quality. The unique 800 tonnes construction was assembled in its own production hall in IJmuiden, having an outdoor site with an open connection to the North Sea.
Van Oord subcontracted the Bokalift 1 to carry out a planned test with the drilling template in the Bay of Saint-Brieuc as the Aeolus itself is not available at this time. After the test Bokalift 1 will return to IJmuiden where the template will be offloaded for the latest modification works at the Breman Offshore site.
After final completion, the drilling template will be placed on board the Aeolus to start the Saint-Brieuc project in 2021.
pictures: Frits Houtgraaf.
