Heerema Marine Contractors said it has been awarded the Petrofac contract for TenneT's Hollandse Kust Zuid (HKZ) Alpha project, one of the largest offshore wind farm zones being developed in the North Sea off the Dutch coast.
The award entails the transport and installation of the HKZ Alpha HVAC platform. This platform is a high-voltage substation, an essential component of offshore wind farms that run electricity to the mainland, in this case the Maasvlakte.
The 2,800-metric-ton jacket for the HKZ Alpha substation will be installed in the second quarter of 2020 followed by the 3,800-metric-ton topside in the fourth quarter of 2020, the Dutch offshore contractor said.
Heerema said the installation will be performed by one of the company’s newest vessels, the semi-submersible crane vessel Sleipnir, which is not only the largest crane vessel in the world, it can also operate in shallow waters.
During the tender preparations Heerema used its Simulation Center to explore the feasibility of the jacket and topside installation by Sleipnir in this shallow water location close to shore, the company said.
CEO Koos-Jan van Brouwershaven: "Heerema is very excited to support Petrofac and TenneT in the development of this project in the North Sea. It also gives us the opportunity to contribute to the realization of the Dutch government's clean energy targets. Heerema is continuously seeking opportunities to strengthen its position in the international offshore market through innovation, proactivity and reliability. This project fits Heerema’s agenda to participate in innovative and sustainable projects. Our vessels are ideally suited to install the additional infrastructure needed to increase the Dutch offshore electricity production capacity."