DEME’s specialised DP3 set up vessel Orion has put in the primary first basis for the Vineyard Wind offshore wind farm
“We can finally say it – as of today, there is ‘steel in the water,’” stated Vineyard Wind CEO Klaus S. Moeller yesterday, as work obtained underway on putting in the primary monopiles and transition items on the first commercial-scale offshore wind farm within the U.S.
The first of 62 foundations for the 800 MW Vineyard 1 wind farm, positioned 15 miles off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, has been put in by DEME‘s specialised set up vessel Orion. The DP3 vessel has a tailored motion-compensated gripper system and is particularly designed for the set up of huge monopile foundations.
DEME Offshore U.S. is finishing up the transportation and set up of the monopile foundations, transition items, offshore substation and scour safety, in addition to the offshore substation basis and platform. Later, the corporate can even set up the wind generators and has partnered with Foss Maritime to offer Jones Act compliant feeder vessels to move the wind generators from the port of New Bedford, Mass..
Jan Klaassen, Director DEME Offshore U.S., stated: “After many years of preparation, the installation work for the first large-scale offshore wind farm in the U.S. has officially kicked off. We are excited to start a new era in the US offshore wind market. This also marks a major milestone for our team based in Boston, the crew onboard Orion and the project team, as it is the first offshore wind farm we will build in U.S. waters.”
In addition to its current crew, the Orion is using native union piledrivers, who acquired particular coaching to start this scope of labor. As tradespeople acquire further expertise within the offshore wind business, larger employment alternatives will probably be created within the trades.
“We look forward to cooperating with all stakeholders and U.S. partners in the construction of this first large-scale offshore wind project in the U.S., including the local union workers who will participate in the installation work under the project labor agreement,” stated Sid Florey, President DEME Offshore U.S. “DEME Offshore has contracted local U.S. vessels and crews to be deployed for the mitigation of noise emissions, as well as marine mammal observations. This first installed foundation is a major step for the U.S. as it advances towards locally produced clean electricity and job creation for the generations to come.”
Vineyard Wind is a three way partnership between Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP).
“CIP’s Vineyard Wind 1 project is taking an historic step today, one that will eventually usher in a new era of clean, renewable and affordable energy,” stated Tim Evans, Partner and Head of North America for CIP. “We’re proud to be at the forefront for the offshore wind industry in the US and look forward to bringing our leading global experience to other projects around the country.”
“After receiving the first turbine components in New Bedford last week, Avangrid’s Vineyard Wind 1 project has achieved another historic milestone for offshore wind in the United States as we begin foundation installation,” stated Avangrid CEO Pedro Azagra. “We’re proud that local union piledrivers are playing a critical role in the installation of the monopiles and transition pieces in the project area as we pioneer this new American industry.”
BUBBLE CURTAIN
As a part of the set up course of, Vineyard Wind has additionally deployed the OSV Atlantic Oceanic and the Northstar Navigator to deploy a main and secondary bubble curtain. A bubble curtain, which is comprised of huge, perforated hoses and specialised air compressors, is designed to soak up and dampen sound throughout basis set up. The hoses are positioned on the seafloor across the monopile earlier than being crammed by compress air. Once the hoses are inflated, the air escapes by way of the perforations and creates a barrier of bubbles that scale back noise.
Three native fishing vessels, the F/V Torbay, F/V Socatean and the F/V Kathryn Marie, will probably be on website to function security and communication sentries. The undertaking can also be deploying a Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) system comprised of fastened buoys. Up to 4 PAMs will probably be used for real-time underwater acoustic monitoring throughout pile driving to characterize the presence of marine mammals by detecting vocalizations. The buoys will probably be deployed and retrieved by the F/V Beth Anne earlier than mobilizing to the subsequent basis location.
