Lamprell has shipped the first of several dozen transition pieces bound for the Moray West wind farm off the north east coast of Scotland.
On Wednesday the fabrication giant announced the “safe and on-time sail away” of the first batch of transition pieces through its newly commissioned renewables production line in the UAE.
Ocean Winds – a 50:50 joint venture between ENGIE and EDP Renewables – is building the 880MW Moray West project in the outer Moray Firth, next to the existing 950MW Moray East scheme.
Lamprell secured the contract – said to be worth between £100m and £200m – last year. Its scope includes the construction of 62 transition pieces and the shipping of these to a marshalling harbour in the UK. Further batch deliveries will continue throughout the months ahead.
The transition piece (TP) is a tubular structure which connects a monopile foundation with the wind turbine tower.
The deal also includes 60 wind turbine jackets and equipment for the two offshore substations, also fabricated at its Hamriyah yard in the UAE.
China’s Dajin will supply a further 48 monopiles and 30 monopile TPs for the project, alongside a subcontract from turbine manufacturer Siemens Gamesa to supply 12 sets of turbine towers.
However, union bosses have in the past raised criticisms of a perceived lack of local content in Scottish wind farms, with various fabrication contracts for Seagreen and Moray East also being awarded to foreign manufacturers.
Lamprell has built a new ‘first of its kind’ production line at Hamriyah to meet growing demand in the market for monopiles and transition pieces as the offshore wind sector expands.
The facility allows for serial manufacturing, and its capabilities include automated high-capacity can rolling, welding, milling and non-destructive testing, the group said.
Meanwhile, Global Energy Group will manage the marshalling and assembly of the 62 pieces at its Port of Nigg site, the largest port facility in the Moray Firth.
Under a “multimillion” award announced earlier this month the company said support services would begin as soon as the pieces arrive at the Port before the end of the year, with installation due for completion in 2024.
Lamprell CEO Ian Prescott commented: “I want to congratulate the project team and thank our client for their trust in Lamprell as we underwent both commissioning the renewables production line and constructing the first set of transition pieces for the Moray West offshore wind farm.
“This accomplishment marks a significant milestone for Lamprell and the entire renewables industry. Not only is our production line a first-of-its-kind facility in the Middle East, but the transition pieces – in terms of diameter – are a unique and original product type designed to withstand the harshest offshore conditions while maximising energy production.
“We could not have achieved this without the teamwork and cooperation the Moray West team provided.
“I am extremely proud of this achievement and look forward to successfully delivering the rest of the transition pieces throughout 2023.”
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