Shell and Eneco Tap Van Oord for Dutch Offshore Wind Project

December 25, 2023, by Adnan Memija

Ecowende, a joint venture of Shell and Eneco, has awarded Van Oord a contract for the construction of the 760 MW Hollandse Kust West VI offshore wind farm in the Netherlands.

As Ecowende’s contractor, Van Oord will be responsible for transporting and installing the foundations and will also lay, connect, and bury the cables between the wind turbines. In addition, Van Oord will be handling the transportation and installation of the wind turbines at sea.

The 760 MW offshore wind farm, for whose site the Ecowende joint venture won the permit in December 2022, is located 53 kilometres off the Dutch coast of IJmuiden and will comprise 54 wind turbines.

Earlier this year, the developer unveiled details for the offshore wind farm that will be in harmony with nature, which include measures and a design approach that will result in the project having minimal impact on birds, bats, and marine mammals.

Ecowende and Van Oord will collaborate on implementing various innovations, large-scale mitigations, and stimulating ecological measures. In addition, the parties will join forces in various feasibility studies and solution developments.

Van Oord will deploy its offshore installation vessel Boreas, currently being built, for the transport and installation of the foundations and wind turbines.

To minimise the noise of the wind farm’s construction, the company will deploy an alternative installation method for the foundations.

A vibro hammer, using vibrations will drive the monopiles to their required depths. According to Van Oord, this will be the first large-scale implementation of this innovative technique at a Dutch offshore wind farm.

The company’s cable-laying vessel Nexus will be deployed for the installation of the connecting inter-array cables between the wind turbines.

The wind farm’s operational capacity will make three per cent of the current Dutch electricity demand greener, said Van Oord. Ecowende plans to have the wind farm fully operational and commissioned in 2026.