Belgian installation prowess in demand in Taiwan

The very first jacket foundations have been installed in Taiwanese waters, approximately 10km off the coast of Fangyuan in Changhua County. Onshore, the civil works for the connection of the offshore wind farm have been completed.

At time of writing a total of nine jacket foundations, weighing approximately 1,100 metric tonnes each, have been installed by the offshore installation vessel Aegir, which Jan De Nul Group has chartered from Dutch Heerema Marine Contractors for the foundation installation campaign.

In total, the TPC Offshore Wind Farm will comprise 21 offshore wind turbines, each installed on a jacket foundation, which are anchored to the seabed by four steel pin piles. Installation of these pin piles started in June this year. After installing the jackets on the pin piles, the void between these two is grouted to create a firm connection.

The 21 jackets have been manufactured at the South Korean Samkang Shipyard Company, and measure between 55m and 62m in overall height.

Jan De Nul Group has also completed all the onshore civil works needed for the connection of the offshore wind farm to the Taiwanese power grid. For the connection of the subsea cable at the landfall with the onshore substation of Changhua County, Jan De Nul Group constructed 13km of duct banks in collaboration with the Taiwanese company Star Energy Corporation.

Turbine component installation will commence in August with Jan De Nul’s Offshore Jack-Up Installation Vessel Taillevent.

By Jake Frith