Orsted has signed an agreement with Haizea Wind Group subsidiary Haizea Bilbao for the manufacture and supply of XXL monopiles for an undisclosed offshore wind farm.
The foundations will be fabricated at Haizea’s Bilbao facilities.
The agreement, which is subject to a final investment decision by Orsted on the project, will be the largest contract ever secured by Haizea Wind Group.
Haizea will be responsible for procurement of materials, engineering of the fabrication process and fabrication of the XXL monopiles that will be delivered to Orsted in the port of Bilbao.
“This investment will duplicate Haizea’s existing production capacity by an extension of 56,000 square metres of fabrication facilities and the creation of further 350 direct jobs in the port of Bilbao, as well as a relevant number of indirect jobs in local suppliers and subcontractors,” the company said.
Additional storage areas will also be required to accommodate the monopiles before they are delivered to the transportation vessels contracted by Orsted, it added.
The factory has been designed to supply monopiles to the highest industry requirements – 15-metre diameter, 170mm wall thickness, 130 metres in length and more than 3500 tonnes of total weight.