PRESS RELEASE – Roll Group is assisting Jan De Nul with the construction of its first offshore wind project in the US, the 12 MW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind. For Dominion Energy, this is a pilot project to gain knowledge in managing offshore wind resources before the operator launches its larger multi-gigawatt projects in the US. 

Specifically, it will provide critical permitting, design, installation, and operational experience as it is the first project to be installed in federal waters under the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) process.

The offshore wind farm will be located 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach, generating a combined total of 12MW. The project is a cooperation between Dominion and Ørsted Wind Power North America, with Jan De Nul Group as subcontractor.

Roll Group’s role is the transportation of the components for the two 6 MW windmills. The first parts 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 safest 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 the vessel 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.”