CSBC has held a keel laying ceremony for the Green Jade next-generation offshore installation vessel at its shipyard in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Green Jade is owned by CDWE, a joint venture between CSBC, the largest shipbuilder in Taiwan, and DEME Offshore.
The vessel is set to enter service in 2022 and will be deployed for work on both the Hai Long and Zhong Neng offshore wind farms.
DEME said Green Jade will be the first floating, DP3 heavy lift and installation vessel to be built in Taiwan.
It will have 4000-tonne crane capacity, allowing CDWE and its customers to transport a multitude of the next generation, multi-megawatt turbines, jackets and components in a single shipment, the company added.
CDWE chair Kurt Guo said: “The birth of Green Jade shouldered multiple missions.
“It revolutionised and brought Taiwan’s shipbuilding technology and marine engineering to a new era, while facilitating the government’s localisation policy, allowing industrial technology and capability to take root in Taiwan.
“We are realising the blueprints step by step for the first main installation vessel to be built in Taiwan by Taiwan’s shipyard.
“In the near future, we will develop Taiwan’s offshore wind market further as the expertise and experience of CDWE’s local construction teams develops.
“This will enable us to take steady steps from Taiwan into the Asia Pacific region’s offshore wind industry in the long-term.”
DEME Offshore managing director Hugo Bouvy said: “We are proud to have successfully reached the next stage of the construction process. Green Jade highlights DEME’s full commitment to the flourishing Taiwanese offshore wind market.
“This is underscored by the fact that this represents the largest single overseas investment ever made by the DEME Group.
“This special vessel is set to revolutionise the offshore wind sector, given its extensive capabilities and loading capacity.
“Our decision to make such a substantial investment – taken at the height of the pandemic – is already proving to be the right one.
“Indeed, Green Jade has a healthy order book for the first three years.”