Renewable energy projects, especially the ones coming from the offshore wind sector, are bumping the demand for transport capacity. This demand means more and more vessels are busy and among them are some unusual “faces.” 

One of the vessels that have caught the new wave of demand is Boskalis’ semi-submersible heavy transport vessel White Marlin. In recent years, it was quite active with transports for the oil and gas market, but late last month the White Marlin successfully completed its first ‘green energy transport’, Boskalis said in a brief statement.

The first eight 80-meter-long monopiles for the future Moray West wind farm from OW Ocean Winds were loaded in Asia and sailed to the port of Invergordon in Scotland.

The projectis being pushed forward by Ocean Winds, a joint venture between EDP Renewables and ENGIE dedicated to offshore wind, and by Ignitis Group as minority shareholder. It will include 60 wind turbines each with a generating capacity of 14.7 megawatts (MW) for a total generating capacity of 882 MW.

Boskalis noted that later this year, its crane vessel Bokalift 2 will pick up the monopiles in the port of Invergordon and subsequently install them using its new installation equipment. In the meantime, Boskalis will carry out the seabed preparation activities by installing a layer of rock that will act as a filter and scour protection for the Moray West XXL monopiles.

Read more: 

• Boskalis secures multidisciplinary role for Moray West OWF
• Bokalift 2 lifts South Fork Wind offshore substation in place