Upcoming Construction and Commissioning Activities at Dogger Bank Wind Farm

The Dogger Bank Wind Farm is gearing up for a significant phase of construction and commissioning activities, with the arrival of key installation vessels at the project site. The Saipem 7000 and Seaway Strashnov are set to commence construction work shortly, alongside HEA Leviathan and Edda Boreas, which will focus on the commissioning of the offshore substation (OSS) and underwater noise monitoring, respectively. The Saipem 7000 is currently en route from Norway to the Dogger Bank B site, tasked with installing the OSS topside onto an existing jacket foundation.

This topside is being transported by the Castoro XI cargo barge, towed by the Pacific Discovery anchor-handling tug. The installation process is anticipated to conclude by April 18, marking the beginning of commissioning activities. These activities will be supported by the HEA Leviathan jack-up vessel, providing accommodation and logistical support through mid-August. Concurrently, the Seaway Strashnov is expected to arrive at the site to start monopile installation. Subacoustech Environmental will conduct underwater noise monitoring during the initial monopile installations from the Edda Boreas service operations vessel. This phase follows a delay from the originally scheduled start in September 2023, attributed to mechanical issues discovered during the Dogger Bank A foundation installation campaign. The Dogger Bank Wind Farm consortium has indicated that monopile installation will continue into the third quarter of this year.

Meanwhile, the Seaway Strashnov has been spotted in Maasvlakte, Rotterdam, preparing for its upcoming deployment. Foundations for Dogger Bank B are being supplied by the Sif Netherlands and Smulders Projects Belgium consortium, under a contract signed in 2020 covering the first two phases of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm. These phases will feature 95 Haliade-X 13 MW turbines each, with the third phase, Dogger Bank C, set to include 87 Haliade-X 14 MW turbines. Currently, Dogger Bank A is in the turbine installation stage, having already commenced power production last year. The installation of the first turbine was carried out by Jan De Nul’s Voltaire vessel in September 2023, with eleven more turbines installed since. After a maintenance break, the Voltaire is expected to resume work in May, continuing the project’s progress towards its completion.