Global Maritime To Lead Maintenance At Offshore Wind Farm In Scotland

Global Maritime To Lead Maintenance At Offshore Wind Farm In Scotland. Photo: GM

Global Maritime, an offshore operations company, will manage the maintenance-related heavy operations at the Hywind floating offshore wind farm. The company has been awarded a contract pertaining to project management, engineering works, and other site-related operations.

Masdar, a renewable energy company, and Equinor, an international energy company were involved in developing the Hywind offshore wind farm in Scotland. While Masdar has a 25 percent stake in the project, Equinor, the lead operator owns 75 per cent of the project. The project management contract has been awarded to Global Maritime by both the operators of the wind project.

Mats Olsvik, Global Maritime’s COO and Hywind Scotland Project Manager, said “We are very proud that we have been entrusted with this important scope by Equinor and Masdar. This campaign will offer invaluable experience and insights, contributing to the enhancement of safe and efficient operations in offshore floating wind projects. It puts GM in a solid position to lead in future fully integrated marine operations for offshore wind projects. We are delighted to extend our collaboration with Equinor and are committed to ensuring the success of the project alongside the other contractors.”

Hywind is the world’s first floating offshore wind farm, situated 25 kilometers off the coast of Peterhead in Scotland. The wind farm has 30 MW capacity and has five 6 MW turbines standing on depths of up to 120 meters. According to Masdar, the project provides 22,000 homes with electricity, reducing 63,000 tonnes of carbon emissions each year.

The Hywind wind farm has been operational since 2017 and hence the maintenance need of turbines arose. Such a kind of maintenance operation will be the world’s first on an offshore wind farm.

According to Global Maritime, “The turbines will be disconnected and towed to Wergeland port in Gulen, Norway, to service the turbines. This method will ensure the safest operation within sheltered conditions. Planning work has already commenced, with operations due to start later this year, and all five turbines will return to full operation by the end of summer 2024″.