Jones Bros Nets Walney Extension Heliport Contract

Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK has won a contract by Ørsted to provide a heliport base to support the Walney Extension offshore wind farm.

Under the GBP 1.8 million contract, Jones Bros is in charge of the design and construction of the base in Barrow-in-Furness, which will support helicopters traveling to and from the 659MW project.

According to the company, the helicopter base features an aviation fuelling system with a 15,000-litre storage tank, with the team installing the pipes used to fuel the aircraft.

The Jones Bros team is also installing modular welfare units for staff working on the site situated on a former candle factory.

“We’re pleased to continue our relationship with Ørsted through this exciting project,” said Garod Evans, Contracts Director at Jones Bros. “The base will be vital for the Walney Extension offshore wind farm to transfer personnel to and from the site.”

Jones Bros said it had worked seven days a week to meet deadlines on the first phase of the project, with additional activities including earthworks, attenuation drainage systems, concrete landing strip and aviation lighting. The second phase of the construction is now underway.

Ørsted, previously DONG Energy, and Jones Bros worked together back in 2017, when the civil contractor helped build new quayside infrastructure for the offshore wind farm.

Walney Extension comprises 40 MHI Vestas 8MW turbines and 47 Siemens Gamesa 7MW turbines located in the Irish Sea, some 19km from the Walney Island coast in Cumbria.

The project was officially inaugurated at the beginning of September last year when it became the world’s largest offshore wind farm.