With the operational kick-off of the construction of an offshore wind farm, Jan De Nul Group formally enters the American offshore renewables market for the first time. Roll Group is proud to play a part in the completion of this project with its BigRoll vessels.
The offshore wind farm will be located 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach, generating a combined total of 12MW, a cooperation between Dominion and Ørsted Wind Power North America LLC, with Jan De Nul Group as subcontractor.
On 31 March, the first foundation components for two windmills were loaded onto the BigRoll Beaufort at the EEW facility in Rostock, Germany. In order to be able to transport all wind equipment in the most safe way, the in-house engineers of Roll Group have designed dedicated grillage for Jan De Nul. This grillage was installed onboard the BigRoll Beaufort in Gdynia, Poland, before loading.
After loading in Rostock, the BigRoll Beaufort made a port call in Esbjerg, Denmark, to load the ‘white’ parts – like towers and blades. Mid April she set sail to her final destination Halifax, Canada. At this moment the BigRoll Beaufort is ready for the discharge operation. The foundation components will be discharged by Jan De Nul’s installation vessel Vole au Vent, which will sail to the wind farm to install the foundation components. In the meantime, Jan De Nul will assemble and commission the tower sections onboard the BigRoll Beaufort and prepare it for installation by the Vole au Vent.
Adding value
“This project is important to us,” says Bastian Bojko, Operations Director Roll Group. “Because it gives us the opportunity to show that Roll Group has vessels that are highly suitable for the Offshore Wind industry. Being part of this pioneering and complex project where our vessel is an integral part of the shipping and assembly scope shows the true added value we can deliver from a technical and operational perspective.’’
Philippe Hutse, Offshore Director of Jan De Nul Group: “This contract is an important milestone for the international maritime industry. It opens the door for non-US marine companies to work in the United States. Moreover, this wind farm is the first American wind farm located in Federal Waters. We are proud to be the first European marine contractor to pave the way.”
About Roll Group
Roll Group offers a total solution on transportation, lifting and installation of heavy cargo. Operating under one name, the forces of the companies RollDock, Roll-Lift and BigRoll are strengthened. Our land/sea combination enables us to offer ‘Factory to Foundation’ solutions. With engineering capabilities, a diverse asset base and ability to adapt, Roll Group takes care of heavy cargo and provide effective, innovative and sustainable services, using our unique know how. RollDock owns five and operates six dock-type vessels, which all have the option of three loading modes – Ro-Ro, Flo-Flo and Lo-Lo, and three BigRoll Module Carriers. On the land side Roll‐Lift operates a large number of modern heavy lift cranes, Self-Propelled Modular Trailers (SPMT’s) and Conventional Trailers. The specific characteristics of Roll Group’s asset base ensures the ability to serve a wide range of markets, such as: Oil & Gas, Offshore, Petrochemical, Renewable Energy, Power, Civil Construction, Dredging and Naval. www.roll-group.com
