Inverlussa and Mainprize Land Race Bank Gig

DONG Energy has awarded a contract for offshore support during the construction of the 580MW Race Bank offshore wind farm to a joint venture between Inverlussa Marine Services and Mainprize Offshore Ltd.

The two-and-a-half-year, multi-million-pound contract will see the Inverlussa team and vessel working out of Grimsby and performing a number of roles including guard-asset protection, dive support, supply of fuel, food, water and spares, maintenance of meterlogical buoys, debris clearance, and emergency tug.

This work will be carried out on the multi-role support vessel Helen Mary, built in the Macduff shipyards, Aberdeenshire, as part of a GBP 3.5 million investment to allow Inverlussa Marine to expand into the renewables sector.

Ben Wilson, Managing Director, Inverlussa Marine Services, said: “Winning this major contract is a great start to our expansion into the renewables sector. There was a lot of competition from very experienced European vessel operators for this contract, but our vessel offered something very different from the normal guard vessel. We look forward to working with Dong Energy and Mainprize Offshore Ltd on this project.”

Race Bank is located around 29 kilometres off Blakeney Point on the North Norfolk Coast, and a similar distance from the Lincolnshire coast at Chapel St. Leonards. It will consist of 91 6MW wind turbines, with Siemens Wind Power chosen as the preferred supplier for the delivery of these turbines.

“DONG Energy is absolutely committed to using UK suppliers whenever possible and we are very happy to be working with Inverlussa Marine Services and Mainprize Offshore Ltd on our Race Bank project,” Jason Ledden, Construction Project Manager for Race Bank at DONG Energy, said.

“Race Bank is a significant offshore wind farm which will be capable of powering over half a million UK homes, and these two UK companies will play a vital role in construction. It’s also really encouraging to hear this contract has led to new staff being taken on at Inverlussa Marine Services and has helped the business kick-start its expansion into the renewables sector.”