First Triton Knoll turbine parts arrive at Able Seaton Port

The first turbine blades to be installed on the Triton Knoll offshore wind farm have arrived at Able Seaton Port, the project’s construction port in Teesside.

This marks the first time that Able Seaton Port is receiving offshore wind turbine components in its history, after a combined multi-million pound investment has helped transform the port into a specialist assembly and construction facility for use on the project by turbine supplier MHI Vestas Offshore Wind.

Triton Knoll, which is being constructed by RWE, will install and operate 90 MHI Vestas V164-9.5 MW turbines, each stretching 164 metres tip to tip, and capable of powering a typical home for up to 29 hours with a single rotation of its 80 metre long blades.

The first 15 turbine blades to arrive at the port were manufactured by MHI Vestas at its Isle of Wight UK facility and finished at its Fawley plant across the Solent.

“Triton Knoll has made a significant investment into Able Seaton Port to establish wind turbine handling facilities there for the first time. It’s an investment that secures the North East of England at the very heart of the delivery of Triton Knoll, and which leaves a lasting legacy for future offshore wind farm projects to be constructed from the region,” Julian Garnsey, Project Director for Triton Knoll and RWE Renewables, said.

“At Triton Knoll we remain committed to ensuring that our investments from this flagship project benefit local coastal communities, and the UK’s expanding offshore supply chain as much as possible. We are delighted to be working with MHI Vestas and Able UK delivering this new UK infrastructure, and to see the first Triton Knoll components arriving at Seaton, ready to begin installation early next year.”

MHI Vestas recently moved onto the 140,000 sq metre Able Seaton Port, where it is establishing a full turbine logistics and pre-assembly hub for the RWE-managed joint venture project.

The site now hosts technicians from UK suppliers, including Global Wind Service (GWS), Dawson, and Boston Energy, as well as MHI Vestas employees. The main crane and Self-Propelled Modular Transporter (SPMT) to be used at ASP for moving turbine components will be supplied by Weldex, based out of Alfreton, UK. Finally, site stevedoring services are supplied by Able.

“Our V164 turbines are currently the largest turbines installed in commercial projects in the world, and the 80m blades to be used at Triton Knoll will be the largest blades installed in UK waters,” MHI Vestas Project Director Torben Damsgaard said.

”MHI Vestas is committed to the UK, as not only are these world-leading blades produced in the UK, but the Triton Knoll project as a whole is bringing substantial value to local communities. The successful preparation of the Able Seaton site has been one key value driver, as the joint effort by AbleUK and MHI Vestas to prepare the site will pay dividends to the Teesside region as an offshore wind hub for the present and future.”

Triton Knoll is located over 32 kilometres off the Lincolnshire coast, with a turbine array that covers an area of 145 square kilometres.

The wind farm is jointly owned by RWE, J-Power and Kansai Electric Power, with RWE managing the wind farm’s construction and long-term operation and maintenance works, on behalf of its project partners.