Seaway 7 selects Port of Blyth as Seagreen cable base

Seaway 7 has selected the Port of Blyth as the location for the storage and mobilisation of the inter-array cables for the 1,075 MW Seagreen 1 wind farm offshore Scotland.

The Northumberland-based port has already started to receive cable into quayside storage tanks, designed and built by their in-house technical team. In total, approximately 12,000 tonnes of inter-array cables will pass through the Port’s Battleship Wharf Terminal, prior to installation offshore across 2022.

Martin Lawlor, Chief Executive of Port of Blyth, said: “Clearly, we are delighted to have been selected by Seaway 7 and look forward to working with them over the course of the project which will only enhance our reputation as one of the UK’s leading offshore energy hubs. We are confident that the award will help to attract further contracts to support the sector.”

In addition, the Seagreen contract will provide a boost to training and education around the Blyth Estuary, providing “real world” experience to students of STEM subjects, from primary school to apprenticeship level, gaining inspiration from offshore energy related activity, the Port has said. In particular, the Port’s Offshore Renewable & Subsea Engineering Level 3 Diploma, designed via a partnership between Newcastle College and the Port’s own training arm Port Training Services, is aiming to develop the next generation of offshore focussed engineers and technicians.

The Seagreen 1 offshore wind farm project is located 27 kilometres off the coast of Angus in the North Sea firth.

A GBP 3 billion joint venture between TotalEnergies and SSE Renewables, Seagreen will be Scotland’s largest and deepest offshore wind farm when complete in 2022/23.

The wind farm will feature 114 Vestas V164-10 MW turbines installed on jacket foundations. The installation of the foundations is scheduled to start as early as this week.

Seaway 7 is the EPCI contractor for the wind farm’s inter-array cable system and the wind turbine foundations.