DEME’s offshore installation vessel Innovation installed the first foundation at the îles d’Yeu and Noirmoutier offshore wind farm in France. The vessel arrived in the Port of La Rochelle at the end of May and headed to the construction site as soon as it loaded two monopile foundations and two transition pieces. 

Ocean Winds, the international company dedicated to offshore wind energy and created as a 50-50 joint venture by EDP Renewables and ENGIE, said that after a 10-hour crossing, and precise planning, the Innovation began the foundation installation.

Each foundation measures 7 metres in diameter, and lengths vary from 45 to 68 m, to adapt to the different depths of the wind farm’s siting area. The foundations will be installed offshore until early 2025.

To guarantee the safety of ongoing operations, two surveillance vessels will be on hand to ensure compliance with navigation rules.

DEME said it is deploying specialised drilling technology designed for rocky seabed conditions to install the foundations. This leverages the company’s expertise from the Saint-Nazaire project, utilising similar equipment, including the 350-tonne offshore foundation drill developed with Herrenknecht.

Additionally, the recently extended MODIGA, now reaching 70 metres in height, shields drilling and installation operations from harsh ocean conditions, optimising operational efficiency in water depths up to 40 metres.

The 488 MW offshore wind farm, developed by Les Éoliennes en Mer Services, a project by OW Ocean Winds, will generate enough renewable energy to power almost 800,000 French households.