ICMS upgrades berthing base for wind farm

The Port of Newhaven’s floating concreate breakwater has been built as part of the refurbishment for its purpose-built operations and maintenance base for the wind farm.

Working with civil engineering firm Knights Brown, ICMS designed and installed a 90 metre concrete breakwater with 1m freeboard, suitable for berthing CTV vessels with up to 140t displacement.

Maintenance base

The floating structure, with external pile guides, has a width of 4.5 metres providing ample space for the associated electrical, water, lighting and fuel services required.

Rampion offshore wind farm went into operation in late 2018. It was the first offshore wind farm off the south coast of England and is owned and operated by RWE Renewables. 

The farm has 116 wind turbine generators and an installed capacity of 400MW.

Newhaven’s O&M base is a permanent structure within the Port of Newhaven comprising offices, warehousing and berthing and quayside facilities for the wind farm commissioning and maintenance vessels.

The base has been fundamental to kick-starting a regeneration programme in the area and is part of the Newhaven Enterprise Zone, launched in April 2017.

There are eight sites making up the new Newhaven Enterprise Zone which focus on the ‘clean, green and marine’ sectors.

Inland and Coastal Marina Systems manufactures and installs water access solutions from leisure marina pontoons to commercial concrete breakwaters and crew transfer vessel berths.