Turbine installation kicked off at SeaMade, Belgium’s largest offshore wind farm

DEME Offshore has installed the first turbine at the SeaMade offshore wind farm in the Belgian North Sea. With a 487 MW capacity, SeaMade is the largest offshore wind farm in Belgium.

Offshore construction of the SeaMade wind farm started in September 2019, with the last foundation installed in January 2020 and in the meantime connected by the subsea cables. DEME’s DP2 offshore installation vessel ‘Apollo’ will now install 58 Siemens Gamesa 8.4 MW turbines on the monopile foundations.

‘Apollo’ loaded the first wind turbine components at the Renewable Energy Base Ostend (REBO), which is used as the marshalling harbour for the pre-assembly of the 58 turbines. From Ostend, ‘Apollo’ will transport the tower elements, nacelles and blades, with a total weight of 1,000 tonnes each, for installation at the SeaMade site which is about 45 km off the Belgian coast.

 ‘Apollo’ features an 800-tonne, leg-encircling crane and an unobstructed, spacious 2,000 m² deck with a load carrying capacity of 15 t/m².

Michael Glavind, Business Unit Director DEME Offshore: “After the successful installation of the foundations, offshore substations and subsea cables, the start of the turbine installation campaign brings us another step closer to the production of green energy. This is also the first turbine installation project for our offshore installation vessel ‘Apollo’, which has just completed a challenging foundation piling project in Scotland. This vessel’s ability to multitask highlights the versatility of our fleet and our ability to handle all aspects of the most complex offshore wind farms.”

Mathias Verkest, CEO SeaMade and Otary: “I am proud to have reached the final stage of our SeaMade construction activities. The offshore installation of 58 8.4 MW wind turbine generators in both concession areas will turn SeaMade into the largest wind farm in the Belgian North Sea. SeaMade and Rentel will soon have a combined operational capacity of about 800 MW. Otary will enter into this final installation phase with great expertise, knowledge and focus. The past few months have been challenging given the spread of COVID-19 but I can only be grateful for what has been achieved by this strong team. Together with all contractors, subcontractors and partners involved we will continue working in the upcoming months with great dedication and perseverance to deliver SeaMade safely within time and budget. It must be highlighted that the combined Otary projects are a major contributor to Belgium’s ongoing climate goals and efforts, contributing more than 1/3rd of the overall offshore production capacity which covers half of the 2020 renewable energy targets.” 

By the end of 2020, SeaMade will be operational with a capacity of 487 megawatts providing green energy for 485.000 households.

DEME is a world leader in the highly specialised fields of dredging, solutions for the offshore energy industry, infra marine and environmental works. The company can build on more than 140 years of know-how and experience and has fostered a pioneering approach throughout its history, enabling it to be a front runner in innovation and new technologies.

DEME’s vision is to work towards a sustainable future by offering solutions for global challenges: a rising sea level, a growing population, reduction of CO2 emissions, polluted rivers and soils and the scarcity of natural resources.

While the company’s roots are in Belgium, DEME has built a strong presence in all of the world’s seas and continents, operating in more than 90 countries worldwide. DEME can rely on 5,200 highly skilled professionals across the globe. With a versatile and modern fleet of over 100 vessels, backed by a broad range of auxiliary equipment, the company can provide solutions for even the most complex projects.

DEME achieved a turnover of 2.62 billion euros in 2019.