OHT's Alfa Lift secures Dogger Bank contracts
The shipowner Offshore Heavy Transport (OHT) has been awarded the contracts for the transport and installation of foundations at Dogger Bank A and B, using the newbuild Alfa Lift vessel, a ship design from Ulstein Design & Solutions BV, OHT said in its media release.
The contracts follow after OHT in end 2019 announced the award of a preferred supplier agreement for Dogger Bank.
The ‘Alfa Lift’ will transport and install all monopile foundations and transition pieces for each of the two 1.2GW phases of the Dogger Bank project between 2022 and 2024.
Alfa Lift, designed by Ulstein. is currently under construction at the CMHI yard in China and is due for delivery next year. With this vessel, OHT sets a new benchmark in heavy offshore transport and installation. The vessel has the ability to perform heavy lift crane operations with the main deck submerged.
Coming from the offshore oil and gas industry, designing and building vessels for some of the world’s toughest areas and demanding operations, Ulstein has become a leading player in the growing offshore wind industry. The knowledge of how to integrate technical, operational and commercial aspects in a vessel design is paramount when contributing to the LCOE (Levelised Cost Of Energy) reduction in future offshore wind projects. New offshore wind farms are being developed further from shore, in rougher seas and deeper waters. This increases the need for higher carrying capacities, comfortable accommodation, vessel flexibility and operational availability and safety.
The Dogger Bank Wind Farm is being developed by SSE Renewables and Equinor, with first power expected in 2023. The contract award is subject to Dogger Bank A and B reaching Financial Close, which is expected in late 2020.
