Seajacks’ installation vessel Seajacks Zaratan has completed the installation of 33 monopiles and transition pieces at Akita port and Noshiro port offshore wind farms. Working with the main installation contractor Kajima Corporation, the job off the Akita prefecture coastline for Akita Offshore Wind. 

Despite the challenges of changing Zaratan to Japanese Flag, the impact of the global Covid-19 pandemic and mitigation measures required to operate a jack up vessel in this seismic region, the project has completed within a few weeks of the original planned end date.

Blair Ainslie Seajacks CEO, said that the company will now continue working on the project throughout the turbine installation phase. Seajacks Zaratan will now remobilise for construction of the WTG topsides during 2022.

The project is the first commercial size fixed bottom wind farm to be constructed in Japan and on completion will provide around 140MW of renewable energy. The power from the project will be sold to Tohoku Electric Power for 20 years under a power purchase agreement (PPA).

The start of commercial operation expected before the end of 2022.