Within one month after the start of the offshore construction works, the first foundation of the Northwester 2 wind farm has been installed on 30 July 2019 by the jack-up installation vessel Vole au vent.
The first foundation is composed of a monopile that is 76 meters long and has a diameter of almost 8 meters. The monopile weighs around 900 tonnes and the transition piece which is mounted on the monopile weighs circa 280 tonnes. Both are produced and assembled at the fabrication yard of the Danish steel contractor Bladt in Aalborg, after which they are shipped to the harbor of Oostende for load out to the Vole au Vent pictured here.
Once offshore, the monopile is hammered up to 37 meters into the seabed and then the transition piece is bolted onto the monopile. The foundation forms the basis for the wind turbines that will be installed from October this year onwards.
Before installing the foundation, the vessel Thor Express has deployed a double bubble curtain on the seabed around the installation area. This bubble curtain significantly reduces the noise produced by the hammering operation.
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Northwester 2 is a project company holding a 219MW concession in the Belgian territorial waters. Current shareholders are Parkwind (70%) and the Japanese industrial group Sumitomo Corporation (30%). Parkwind, has been in charge of the development and is managing construction and operational activities. The company is headquartered in Leuven (Belgium) and will operate from the Ostend harbor.
About Jan De Nul Group
Design. Build. Connect. Jan De Nul Group shapes water and land. Worldwide. From complex offshore services for the energy sector, over large dredging and reclamation projects on the edge of water and land, to all possible civil constructions on land. Well integrated competences and investments lead to creative, sustainable and innovative solutions. In this way Jan De Nul Group meets the customers’ current and future wishes. To the future. – www.jandenul.com