Alfa Lift signs contract for transport and installation of foundations at Dogger Bank
Following announcement of the award of a Preferred Supplier Agreement on 28th November 2019, OHT Alfa Lift AS has now signed the contract for the transport and installation of foundations for the first phase of Dogger Bank Wind Farm, Dogger Bank A. The contract for the second phase, Dogger Bank B, is expected to follow in due course, the company said in its release.
The project will be the monopile installation debut for OHT’s specialist new build vessel Alfa Lift which is currently under construction at CMHI’S shipyard in China.
Alfa Lift will transport the monopile foundations and transition pieces to the offshore site, more than 130km off the north-east coast of England, and install them in water depths up to 35 metres, utilising the vessel’s class leading 3,000-tonne crane, state-of-the-art mission equipment and smart deck handling system.
Steve Wilson, Dogger Bank’s Project Director, said: “It’s great news to confirm the OHT Alfa Lift vessel for Dogger Bank A. Their vessel is one of the most innovative heavy transportation and installation vessels on the market and we are very pleased to have them working with us as we deliver this ground-breaking project.”
“We look forward to working with Norway’s OHT to make Dogger Bank a success. The Alfa Lift is an excellent example of the new, efficient and innovative vessels which we need to revolutionise the offshore wind industry and make it even more competitive,” Halfdan Brustad, vice president for Dogger Bank in Equinor, said.
The foundations will be amongst the largest ever used for offshore wind and are expected to be installed at Dogger Bank A between 2022 and 2023.
Since the preferred supplier contract was announced in November last year, planning for the project is well underway and OHT is keen to engage with the local supply chain.
OHT’s Alfa Lift vessel, of Ulstein design, will arrive in Europe in good time before project mobilization. Construction is progressing as expected and has experienced no significant delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to the diligence, dedication, and strong focus on safety of all parties involved.
The Dogger Bank Wind Farm is being developed by SSE Renewables and Equinor, with first power expected in 2023. The contract is subject to the project’s final investment decision.