Seaway7 Starts Dogger Bank B Foundation Installation Work

May 14, 2024, by Adnan Memija

Seaway7’s vessels, Seaway Strashnov and Seaway Alfa Lift, have commenced the installation of monopile foundations and transition pieces (TPs) for Dogger Bank B, the second phase of the 3.6 GW Dogger Bank Wind Farm in the UK, which is set to become the world’s largest offshore wind farm once in operation.

The monopiles and TPs, that will host GE Vernova’s 13 MW Haliade-X turbines, were manufactured by Sif and Smulders and are being installed 80 miles (approximately 128.7 kilometres) off the Yorkshire coast by tier-one contractor Seaway7.

The monopiles weigh in at up to 1,424 tonnes each and can measure up to 72.8 metres in length.

The first two 1.2 GW phases, Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B, will comprise 95 Haliade-X 13 MW turbines each. The third phase, Dogger Bank C, will feature 87 Haliade-X 14 MW turbines.

Seaway7 recently completed the installation of all 95 transition pieces on Dogger Bank A, concluding the installation of the foundations for the first phase of the project.

“We are happy to welcome Seaway Strashnov back to the project to commence foundation installation on Dogger Bank B – leading on from the vessel’s good performance last year on Dogger Bank A. After introducing our brand-new heavy lift vessel Seaway Alfa Lift to the project in October, the vessel operated through the high weather season installing transition pieces on Dogger Bank A, and now continues this work in phase B,” said Wouter van Dalen, Project Director, Seaway7.

A total of 277 monopiles and transition pieces will be installed across all three phases of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm, with completion due in 2026.

Designed in the UK by Wood Thilsted, Dogger Bank Wind Farm’s foundations have been optimised to tackle challenging wave loads in the Dogger Bank area of the North Sea, with installation in water depths of up to 32 metres and at a minimum distance of 130 kilometres from shore.

Steel manufactured by Tata Steel in Wales and processed in Corby and Hartlepool is being used in the supporting components of TPs, while South Tyneside-based Metec and Rochdale-based Granada Material Handling have also won contracts with Smulders to support the offshore wind project.

“As the world’s largest wind farm of its kind and due to the deployment of new turbine technology, every aspect of the wind farm has required us to come up with new innovative design and engineering solutions that will shape the future construction of offshore wind globally,” said Olly Cass, Dogger Bank Wind Farm Project Director.

Last month, Saipem, using its vessel Saipem 7000, completed the installation of the offshore substation at Dogger Bank B.

Measuring 75 metres in length, 45 meters in width, and 39 meters in height, the platform utilises a four-legged steel jacket foundation structure designed and fabricated by Saipem.

The Dogger Bank Wind Farm is owned by SSE Renewables (40 per cent), Equinor (40 per cent), and Vårgrønn (20 per cent).