Sear Joins Hohe See Foundations Team

Belgian steel foundations specialist Smulders has selected the Rostock-based Sear GmbH to provide electrical engineering for 71 transition pieces for EnBW’s 497MW Hohe See offshore wind farm in the German North Sea.

The electrical components will be pre-assembled in Rostock and undergo final assembly in Antwerp before heading to the offshore construction site, Sear said.

The EUR 10 million contract is expected to be delivered by April 2018.

In February 2017, GeoSea and Smulders contracted Sif to produce primary steel for the 71 transition pieces for Hohe See.

The transition pieces will be produced by Sif in a joint venture with Smulders, whereby Sif will produce the primary steel and Smulders will be responsible for the secondary steel and outfitting of the transition pieces.

The companies are set to start working on the foundations in the second half of 2017 and to complete the production by mid-2018.

Offshore construction at the Hohe See site located about 90 kilometers north of Borkum and 100 kilometers northwest of Heligoland is scheduled to start in early 2018, with Siemens scheduled to begin manufacturing 71 of its 7MW wind turbines for the project in mid-2018.

The wind farm is expected to be operational in 2019.