The transportation phase for the Yunlin offshore wind farm in Taiwan has been completed, paving the way for the installation phase to begin.

Jumbo has completed the transportation part of its Transport & Installation contract for the wind farm. Jumbo mobilised ships from its own Heavy Lift Vessel fleet, together with subcontracted deck carriers and HLVs from third parties, to transport the 40 monopiles, 120 monopile sections and 40 transition pieces (TPs) from yards in the Netherlands and Germany to Taiwan. The transport of components required no less than 21 intercontinental voyages, at times with 10 TPs per voyage.

“Our eye for detail in the early contractual stages enabled the smooth progress in execution of transport. We highlighted potential bottlenecks in the port logistics in Taiwan well in advance, tackling them in an open and candid fashion to safeguard our client,” said Boudewijn van der Garden, Jumbo commercial manager specialised in offshore renewables. “Moreover, we supported direct berthing at the fabrication yard in Germany; this saved a lot of time. We re-used the saddles and other sea-fastenings; this saved a lot of money.”

Jumbo secured the Yunlin T&I contract with Yunneng Windpower Co., a Taiwanese subsidiary of wpd AG, in June 2019.

In addition to the transportation phase of the project, Jumbo carried out the the engineering, design and fabrication management of the supporting and sea-fastening elements such as cradles, grillages and load spreader beams, procurement of additional equipment and services, as well as the chartering of third-party vessels.

Jumbo is now ready for installation of 80 transition pieces and will be working at the Tier I level, contracting additional support services such as monopile cleaning specialists and TP grouting teams.

By Rebecca Jeffrey