Rhenus Keeps Galloper Substation Crew Stocked

Rhenus Offshore Logistics has started working on its first major project out of its new offshore base at the port of Great Yarmouth, carrying out supply and disposal runs during the commissioning of the offshore substation at the 336MW Galloper offshore wind farm.

Using the platform supply vessel Blue Betria, Rhenus is performing regular supply duties at Galloper.

The first in a series of cargo runs took place on 23 May and the supply vessel left port at noon, arriving at the substation in the early evening.

The transit to the wind farm located 27 kilometres off the Suffolk coast takes approximately five hours.

18 offshore-certified containers, filled with food, tools, work materials, spare parts, fresh water and fuel, were offloaded onto the Seajacks Hydra, the jack-up vessel that is being utilised as staff’s quarters and offices onsite next to the platform.

After establishing its UK operations in 2016, Rhenus Offshore Logistics is using their supply base in Great Yarmouth to fulfil the onshore requirements of the project, including acceptance of goods, warehousing, commissioning and a local container depot for offshore-certified units. In addition to the supply and disposal runs, Rhenus handles the complete logistics supply chain for the commissioning of the offshore substation.

Regular supply runs will continue over the next several months as the offshore installation continues.

“Whilst the platform supply vessel has been chartered for this project over the coming months, there is some spare capacity on board. We are therefore looking for similar upcoming projects in need of assistance within the UK waters and particularly the North Sea in order to maximise the vessel’s efficiency. This generates cost savings and also reduces environmental impacts,” said Thore Schreiber, Head of Business Development at Rhenus Offshore Logistics.

The substation at the Galloper wind farm was installed on 12 May.

The Galloper wind farm will comprise 56 Siemens 6MW wind turbines, with the wind turbine installation vessel Pacific Orca currently installing the units at the site.

The GBP 1.5 billion Galloper project is being developed by innogy SE on behalf of the project partners, UK Green Investment Bank (GIB), Siemens Financial Services and Macquarie Capital.