Boskalis and MENCK Team Up Offshore Taiwan

Pile-driving specialist MENCK has won a contract to support Boskalis with the foundation piling activities on the Changfang and Xidao offshore wind farm in Taiwan.

This involves the piling of 186 pin piles for the 62 three-legged jacket foundations being installed over two campaigns in 2021 and 2022 in water depths of up to 40 metres, Acteon, MENCK’s parent company, said.

MENCK will be providing a piling hammer spread including two 1200 KJ hammers with associated powerpacks and winches for the project.

”Providing services on this project is a significant achievement within the Taiwanese region where we are continuously increasing our presence through equipment development, strategic partnerships and deployment of localised personnel,” LJ Pan, Taiwan country manager at Acteon, said.

”Our track-record is growing and is enhanced by Acteon’s partnership with DWTEK in Taiwan. DWTEK will assist us with local suppliers, importation/customs and personnel work permits and Visas.”

Back in 2019, Boskalis established a joint venture to transport and install the jacket foundations and the accompanying pin piles at the 589 MW Changfang and Xidao project.

The jackets and the pin piles will be installed by Bokalift 2. The pin piles will be delivered by CTCI MAC, a subsidiary of the Taiwanese engineering services provider, CTCI.

Located off the coast of Changhua County, Changfang and Xidao will feature 62 MHI Vestas 9.5 MW wind turbines. The wind farm is expected to be fully commissioned in early 2024.

The wind farm is owned by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), which holds the majority stake, and by two local life insurance companies, Taiwan Life Insurance, and TransGlobe Life Insurance.

The project officially entered the construction phase in February 2020, after reaching the financial close.