Sembmarine SLP will today load out the Dudgeon offshore substation jacket in preparation for installation at the 402MW east of England offshore wind farm, 32km off Cromer in Norfolk.
The 1500-tonne kit will be loaded on to a barge at Sembmarine’s Lowestoft headquarters in readiness to sail the 100km up the coast to Dudgeon in May.
The 48 metre yellow structure will be sunk into the seabed in early May using suction bucket technology for the first time in the UK.
Four suction buckets, weighing 110 tonne each, were welded on to the legs of the jacket in the company’s yard at Hamilton Dock.
The four-deck topside is currently being completed by Sembmarine ready for its load out in July and sail away in August.
Sembmarine SLP managing director Paul Thomson said: “The Dudgeon offshore wind project is very important, not only for the SLP team, but also for the local and UK economy.
“It’s another significant project we have delivered on time, to the highest quality and safely exceeding our clients’ expectations to add to our portfolio of more than 90 ‘Made in Lowestoft’ contracts.”
John Davidson, STDL project manager, said the Lowestoft team should be proud of its achievement.
“I would like to acknowledge the tremendous efforts displayed by the team in reaching this important milestone in the project.
Sembmarine was contracted to build the substation by Siemens Transmission for Dudgeon’s owners Statoil, Statkraft and Masdar.
The project has taken 850,000 work hours since its award in September 2014 with the company’s workforce swelling to 240 to handle the work.
Image: Sembmarine
