Installation of the first monopiles and transition pieces at the 800MW Vineyard Wind offshore wind project, off Massachusetts, has begun.
DEME’s heavy lift vessel Orion is working with a team of ships throughout the summer installing 62 foundations at the site.
“We can finally say it – as of today, there is ‘steel in the water’,” said Vineyard Wind chief executive Klaus Moeller.
“Over the next few months, we’ll be working hand in glove with the Building Trades Unions and our contractors to ensure the work is done safely and efficiently.
“I want to thank all of our stakeholders and the entire Vineyard Wind team for this remarkable achievement on this first in the nation project.”
DEME Offshore US is carrying out the transportation and installation of the monopile foundations, transition pieces, offshore substation and scour protection, as well as the offshore substation foundation and platform. Later, the company will also install the wind turbines.
DEME offshore US director Jan Klaassen said: “After many years of preparation, the installation work for the first large-scale offshore wind farm in the US has officially kicked off.
“We are excited to start a new era in the US offshore wind market. This also marks a major milestone for our team based in Boston, the crew onboard ‘Orion’ and the project team, as it is the first offshore wind farm we will build in US waters.”
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey added: “Our administration is grateful for the important work being done by Vineyard Wind, Avangrid, CIP, DEME and labour partners to bring clean, affordable energy to Massachusetts.
“We’re thrilled to see this historic project move one step closer to completion and committed to supporting the offshore wind industry across the state.”
In addition to the existing crew, the vessel Orion is using local union piledrivers.
The team received special training to begin this scope of work.
“Our men and women are among the nation’s best-trained, highly skilled, and most productive workforce,” said Massachusetts Building Trades Unions president Frank Callahan.
“They get the job done right while earning family-sustaining wages and benefits that provide them a secure place in America’s middle class.
As part of the installation process, Vineyard Wind has also deployed the OSV Atlantic Oceanic and the Northstar Navigator to install a primary and secondary bubble curtain.
A bubble curtain, which is comprised of large, perforated hoses and specialized air compressors, is designed to absorb and dampen sound during foundation installation.
The hoses are placed on the seafloor around the monopile before being filled by compress air. Once the hoses are inflated, the air escapes through the perforations and creates a barrier of bubbles that reduce noise.
Three local fishing vessels, the F/V Torbay, F/V Socaten and the F/V Kathryn Marie, will be onsite to serve as safety and communication sentries.
The project is also deploying up to four Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) systems, comprised of fixed buoys, for real-time underwater acoustic monitoring during pile driving to characterise the presence of marine mammals by detecting vocalisations.
The hardware will be placed and retrieved by the F/V Beth Anne before mobilising to the next foundation location.
“We look forward cooperating with all stakeholders and US partners in the construction of this first large-scale offshore wind project in US waters, including the local union workers who will participate in the installation work under the project labor agreement,” said DEME offshore US president Sid Florey.
“DEME Offshore has contracted with local US vessels and crews to be deployed for mitigation of noise emissions as well as marine mammal observations.”