Wind Energy – Dogger Bank B
The team working on what will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm, Dogger Bank, have started work on the foundation installation campaign for the second phase of the development.
Seaway7’s vessels Seaway Strashnov and Seaway Alfa Lift have commenced installation of monopile foundations and transition pieces for the Dogger Bank B.
The team recently completed installation of all 95 transition pieces on Dogger Bank A, thus concluding the installation of the foundations for the first phase of the project.
Dogger Bank is a JV project between SSE Renewables, Equinor and Vårgrønn.
Olly Cass, Dogger Bank Wind Farm Project Director, said: “These installation milestones are the result of years of commitment and diligence from the project team and its delivery partners. As the world’s largest wind farm of its kind and due to the deployment of new turbine technology, every aspect of the wind farm has required us to come up with new innovative design and engineering solutions that will shape the future construction of offshore wind globally. We extend our thanks and congratulations to the many companies and individuals who’ve risen to this challenge and contributed to the milestone we’re celebrating today.”
Wouter van Dalen, Project Director, Seaway7, said: “We are happy to welcome Seaway Strashnov back to the project to commence foundation installation on Dogger Bank B – leading on from the vessel’s good performance last year on Dogger Bank A. After introducing our brand-new heavy lift vessel Seaway Alfa Lift to the project in October, the vessel operated through the high weather season installing transition pieces on Dogger Bank A, and now continues this work in phase B. The foundation installation scope is making excellent progress, enabled by our strong collaboration with our client Dogger Bank Wind Farm and our subcontractors.”
The monopile foundations and transition pieces provide a solid and stable base for the scale of GE Vernova’s groundbreaking 13MW Haliade-X turbines.
The monopiles weigh in at up to 1,424 tonnes each and can measure up to 72.8 metres in length. The Dogger Bank transition pieces feature a pioneering split-level design to support safe installation and operation and have a record-breaking 8m flange to connect the monopiles and transition piece structures.
A total of 277 monopiles and transition pieces will be installed across all three phases of the wind farm, with completion due in 2026.
