EnBW has started construction of the 609MW Hohe See and Albatros offshore wind complex in the German North Sea.
Swire Blue Ocean jack-up Pacific Osprey is currently being loaded with the first monopile foundations at the port of Vlissingen in the Netherlands.
The vessel will soon depart on the 12-hour journey carrying the 72-metre long structures to the project sites 95km north of Borkum and 100km northwest of Helgoland, EnBW said.
EnBW plans to install all the foundations this year, as well as the Hohe See offshore substation. A consortium of Engie Fabricom, Iemants and CG Holdings Belgium is responsible for the transformer platform for Hohe See.
Turnkey array cable contractor VBMS is also due to start laying wires in 2018.
The remaining inter-array cables will be added next year, as well as the 87 Siemens Gamesa SWT-7.0-154 turbines and the Siemens-built offshore transformer module for Albatros.
Full commissioning of Hohe See and Albatros is set for 2019.
Work on the service station for both projects will start in the autumn in Emden for an operational start next year.
EnBW owns 51.1% of the wind farms, with Canadian company Enbridge holding the remaining 49.9%.
Image: Swire Blue Ocean
Hohe See, Albatros take flight
By EBS