The consortium behind the 219MW Northwester 2 wind farm off Belgium will begin foundation installation this week.
Engineering, procurement and construction contractor Jan De Nul is to hammer home the first monopiles and transition pieces.
Jack-up Vol au Vent (pictured) will report to the site 48km offshore shortly to begin the operation. The Belgian port of Ostend is serving as marshalling location.
Jan De Nul group senior project manager Northwester 2 Stan Logghe said: “A full year of preparation is now coming to an end with the start of the construction phase.
“With the installation vessel Vole au vent returned to Ostend, Jan De Nul is now ready to commence the installation of the foundations for the Northwester 2 wind farm.”
Scour protection was laid earlier this month by the marine contractor’s mining and fallpipe vessel Simon Stevin.
Installation of the in-field cabling, provided by General Cable subsidy NSW, will start late next month and wrap up in September. The substation will be completed by mid-September.
The 23 MHI Vestas V164-9.5MW turbines will be installed from October to January next year.
The offshore wind farm is being developed by Parkwind and Sumitomo and is set to be up and running by the first quarter of next year.