Global Tech I: BOLD TERN Installs Rotors, INNOVATION to Replace VIDAR Soon

The installation vessel BOLD TERN from Fred. Olsen Windcarrier is now also installing rotor stars at the Global Tech I offshore wind farm. In accordance with planning, the project company Global Tech I Offshore Wind GmbH is flexibly deploying its three installation vessels VIDAR, BOLD TERN and BRAVE TERN for the construction of the AREVA turbines.

Arjen Schampers, Technical Managing Director of Global Tech I Offshore Wind GmbH, said: “The final commissioning work of each wind turbine follows directly upon completion of the rotor star installation. It is important for us that all 80 turbines are fully operational to coincide with the grid connection via BorWin beta due this autumn. Since we finished construction of the towers and nacelles more quickly than anticipated, we have decided to deploy two vessels henceforth to install the rotor stars.”

Pre-assembly and transshipment of the AREVA rotor stars is performed at JadeWeserPort in Wilhelmshaven. Progress of the construction phase is continuously reviewed and the logistics planning is modified accordingly. The deck layouts of both Fred. Olsen Windcarrier vessels are flexible, enabling their deployment for the installation of towers and nacelles or alternatively for rotor stars.

There are also changes planned for the rotor star installations performed by AREVA Wind: In June the HOCHTIEF vessel VIDAR will be replaced by installation vessel INNOVATION, owned by the HOCHTIEF subsidiary HGO InfraSea Solutions, at the wind farm. The INNOVATION is capable of transporting four rotor stars at a time to the wind farm and installing them on site.

So far more than 60 towers and nacelles have been erected and well over a third of rotor stars installed. According to the Global Tech I project status, construction of the wind farm will be fully complete and ready for operation this summer.