DEME Offshore’s Taiwanese joint venture has begun early works on a floating heavy-lift installation vessel for constructing local offshore wind projects.
DEME Offshore and Taiwanese shipbuilder CSBC have agreed to start up the early works and the ordering of critical packages for the vessel, named Green Jade.
Green Jade will have “exceptionally high transport and load capacity” and will be ready for delivery in 2022 for deployment on Taiwanese offshore wind projects from early 2023.
CSBC-DEME Wind Engineering (CDWE) was formed earlier this year as Taiwan’s first offshore wind engineering, procurement, construction and installation contractor.
In October last year, CDWE signed Taiwan’s first comprehensive, large-scale balance of plant (BoP) preferred supplier agreement with the Hai Long offshore wind project.
Since then the company has signed two contracts with Zhong Neng Wind Power Corporation Preparatory Office for the 300MW Zhong Neng offshore wind project.
The contracts comprise the transportation and installation of foundations, as well as a preferred bidder agreement for the transportation and installation of the wind turbines.
Green Jade will be deployed on both projects.
CDWE will meet localisation requirements and support development of a sustainable supply chain in Taiwan, optimising local materials and skills.
Green Jade will feature a 4000-tonne capacity crane and DP3 capability. The vessel’s deck space allows transportation of the heaviest monopiles, jackets, wind turbine components and structures in a single shipment.
At a length of 216.5 metres Green Jade is designed to accommodate a crew of up to 160 people.
The vessel will have dual fuel engines and will have a Green Passport and Clean Design notation. It will feature a waste heat recovery system that converts heat from the exhaust gases and cooling water to electrical energy, in addition to various other fuel-saving measures.
Hai Long EPCI director Felipe Montero said: “Hai Long is delighted to see CDWE taking steps to construct the first offshore installation vessel in Taiwan.
“We are very proud of having contributed to this milestone which demonstrates Hai Long’s commitment to supporting the development of the local supply chain. Hai Long will continue to collaborate with CDWE on cultivating a sustainable local supply chain, while exploring more opportunities in supporting the localisation policy.”
CDWE chairman Robert Tseng said: “The establishment of CDWE is a perfect combination of DEME’s unrivalled strength in the offshore wind power segment and CSBC’s leading position in shipbuilding, vessel operation and foundation fabrication in Taiwan’s offshore wind farm development.
“This key role and strength of CDWE will be further enhanced by investing in this locally built, owned and operated installation vessel, and I do believe Green Jade will shape a promising and flourishing future for Taiwan’s offshore wind business.”
DEME Offshore managing director Hugo Bouvy added: “We are very excited to initiate the early works of the first floating offshore installation vessel in Taiwan.
“The Hai Long and Zhong Neng Projects have played an integral part in our decision to invest in an installation vessel.
“They have offered us an extensive scope of works beyond the government’s Bureau of Energy’s localisation requirements, and are our anchor projects until Round 3 projects commence, giving confidence to our internal stakeholders and lenders that this vessel will have a strong pipeline of work and can be integral to Taiwan’s offshore wind development ambitions.”