European developer seeks installation vessels for offshore wind projects

Energy company Vattenfall has issued contract notices seeking vessels to transport and install wind turbine foundations and wind turbines at two offshore wind farms.

The calls to tender were issued by Vattenfall Atlantis 1 und Global Tech 2 Offshore Wind GmbH for the N-7.2 and N-6.6 projects in the German North Sea.

The first contract notice covers the provision of a wind turbine installation vessel or vessels and is divided into two lots, Lot 1 covering the N-7.2 project, and Lot 2 covering the N-6.6 project.

Tenders may be submitted for all lots and interested parties have until 27 January 2023 to submit their bids.

Similarly, the tender for foundation installation work is divided into two lots, Lot 1 covering the N-7.2, and Lot 2 covering N-6.6. Again, tenders may be submitted for both lots and the bids are due by 27 January.

As reported earlier this year, Vattenfall exercised its step-in-rights to develop an offshore wind farm in the N-7.2 zone in the German North Sea after RWE had won the tender with a zero-subsidy bid.

Following a final investment decision by Vattenfall, the offshore wind farm could be connected to the German electricity grid sometime in 2027 and when fully developed, would have an output of 980 MW.

Located 85 kilometres off the island of Borkum, the N-7.2 project was originally developed under the name Global Tech II by a consortium led by Strabag SE.

Vattenfall acquired the project in 2016, but when a new offshore wind tendering system was put in place, the area was auctioned again.

Vattenfall held the step-in rights for the zone through Vattenfall Atlantis 1 and Global Tech 2 Offshore Wind GmbH.

The step-in rights were awarded to companies whose projects had not made it through the second transitional tenders in previous auctions.

Located some 100 kilometres northwest of the island Borkum, the N-6.6 area is expected to support a capacity of up to 630 MW. The zone is scheduled to be put out to tender in September 2024, and put into operation in 2029.

Vattenfall plans to develop the Atlantis 1 offshore wind project within the N-6.6 zone. The company acquired the 584 MW project from PNE Wind AG in early 2017.