Ormonde Offshore Wind Farm

Belfast based Harland & Wolff signed a contract with leading offshore wind power company Vattenfall for the logistic and assembly services of the Ormonde Offshore Wind Farm.

• Services: Fabrication & Construction
• Client: Vattenfall
• Project: Ormonde OWF logistics and assembly
• Date Commenced: January 2011
• Date Delivered: August 2011

This was Harland & Wolff’s third offshore wind farm project in 4 years, following the successful completion of contracts on Barrow and Robin Rigg offshore wind farms.

The Ormonde offshore wind farm is situated off the Cumbrian coast in the Irish Sea. It was the second UK offshore wind farm to use REpower’s powerful 5MW turbine. The 30 turbines generate sufficient power to meet the needs of the equivalent of approximately 100,000 homes annually.

Robert Cooper, Harland & Wolff’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are delighted to see the first elements of this significant project arrive at the Harland & Wolff yard. This is our third offshore wind farm logistics project in four years and the largest turbines we have handled to date. Vattenfall are a demanding customer who requires the best; our vast facilities and experienced personnel are again demonstrating their unique flexibility and capability. When this project is considered alongside the current manufacture of two large offshore platforms in our fabrication halls, renewable energy is securing hundreds of local jobs within Harland & Wolff and within the local supply chain.”

Several shipments of towers, blades and wind turbines were delivered, the first having left Cuxhaven in Germany on Friday 14th January on the transportation vessel ‘Maria’. Transportation and installation of the 30 wind turbines to the wind farm site was completed according to the schedule. Each wind turbine, when installed, was 160 metres above sea level; the rotor was 126 metres in diameter and two acres in area – twice the size of a football pitch.

David Hodkinson, UK Country Manager for Vattenfall, said: “We are delighted that Vattenfall’s Ormonde offshore wind project is supporting employment at Harland & Wolff’s facility in Belfast and we are looking forward to working with them to deliver this part of the project safely and cost effectively. The delivery of the towers and turbines is not only an important development for our project, but also underlines Vattenfall’s commitment to work with suppliers to strengthen the UK supply chain for the offshore wind sector, which will underpin the delivery of the planned large scale expansion of offshore wind around the UK coast.”

Giant marine structures require giant handling which perfectly suited the impressive Harland & Wolff facilities. The project was delivered safely, on schedule and within budget.