Neart na Gaoithe Picks O&M Base Construction Team

Neart na Gaoithe (NnG) Offshore Wind Limited has appointed two Scottish-based businesses to construct its Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Base at Eyemouth Harbour in Scotland.

Muir Construction, based in Inverkeithing, Fife, has been appointed to design and build NnG’s three storey, 1,040 square metre main O&M building and its two storey, 538 square metre storage warehouse.

Inland and Coastal, of Lossiemouth, Moray, will design, manufacture and install the harbour’s new pontoon on the marine side of the harbour to make the basin accessible to crew transfer vessels and technicians.

NnG, jointly owned by EDF Renewables UK and ESB, signed a lease with Eyemouth Harbour Trust in February which saw the harbour confirmed as O&M base for the project’s 25-year lifespan.

The O&M building will house the office, warehouse and staff welfare facilities required to support the servicing of NnG once the wind farm is fully operational.

Muir Construction has started enabling works with construction expected to start this month while Inland and Coastal has completed the pontoon design with fabrication to get under way this month and installation to start later this year.

The 450 MW NnG will supply enough electricity for around 375,000 homes and offset over 400,000 tonnes of Co2 emissions each year.

”We are fully committed to using the Scottish supply chain wherever possible and these two fantastic companies join a long list of Scottish business who are supporting delivery of this hugely important infrastructure project for Scotland,” Matthias Haag, NnG Project Director, said.

”Both have a wealth of experience and expertise in their field, and I look forward to working closely with them on the construction of our O&M base and pontoon. I’m really pleased that as well as supporting the 25-year lifespan of the offshore wind farm the O&M base will bring with it fantastic socio-economic benefits for the town of Eyemouth and the local community.”

The NnG O&M base will provide up to 50 permanent jobs.

Onshore construction continues for NnG at various locations along the cable route which runs underground from Thorntonloch beach and into the Lammermuir Hills. Offshore work started in August last year.

The wind farm is scheduled to be fully operational in 2023.