Able Seaton Port, which has long since been a significant player across a range of activities, including marine decommissioning, oil rig upgrading works and as a project cargo port, has added another major type of project to its portfolio.
Working with Ørsted (formerly DONG Energy) and GeoSea NV, their Belgian subcontractor, Able Seaton Port is providing the installation base and a range of associated services for the Hornsea Project One offshore wind farm.
The contract extends to the foundation package and includes the receipt, storage and delivery of 174 c. 900-ton monopiles and 174 c. 350-ton transition pieces. The components are being supplied from a number of different production yards. The monopiles from EEW’s plant in Rostock, northern Germany and three companies will supply the transition pieces: Bladt from Aalborg, Denmark and OSB and Wilton Engineering, both based on the River Tees.
Teesside based Able UK operate Able Seaton Port and their Executive Chairman, Peter Stephenson commented “This is another major milestone for our company. We see the success in securing this type of project as very much the result of our ongoing investment in precisely the sort of specialist facilities required by this sector.
“It is particularly pleasing that some of the components are being manufactured in Teesside, proving, yet again, that the area has the pedigree and the infrastructure to compete at the highest level.”
Duncan Clark Hornsea Project One programme director, commented: “Able Seaton Port has a wealth of facilities and experience that we believe will add real value in delivering logistical support to the world’s largest wind farm.”
To date the first 12 monopiles have been delivered to ASP on the cargo vessel Svenja and deliveries will continue over the coming months. The first collection by GeoSea’s specialist wind installation vessel, Innovation, took place on 31st January. Innovation is a ‘state of the art’ Jack-up Offshore Heavy Lift vessel, 147m in length with a crane capacity of 1,500t.