Largest jack-up vessel Voltaire arrives in the UK to build largest wind farm in the world
The largest offshore jack-up installation vessel ever built, Voltaire, has just arrived in the port of Able Seaton, UK. Voltaire of Jan De Nul Group was delivered end 2022. Since then she has been undertaking final preparations for her very first assignment: the construction of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm phases A, B and C, according to the company's release.
In total, the vessel will be responsible to install an impressive 277 units, making the combination of these three wind farm phases the largest offshore production facility in the world. Voltaire will sail out in early July to install the very first GE Haliade-X offshore wind turbine.
The 3.6 GW Dogger Bank Wind Farm is being built off the East Coast of England in three 1.2 GW phases: Dogger Bank A, B and C. It is a joint venture partnership between SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Vårgrønn (20%). SSE Renewables is leading on the development and construction of Dogger Bank Wind Farm, and Equinor will operate the wind farm on completion for its expected operational life of around 35 years. Once completed in 2026, it will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm.
Mid-2020, Dogger Bank Wind Farm and Jan De Nul Group announced the signing of the final contract for the transport and installation of the GE Haliade-X offshore wind turbines at Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B, 130 km off the Yorkshire coast. Mid-2021, the signing of the final contract for the transport and installation of 87 GE Haliade-X 14 MW offshore wind turbines for Dogger Bank C followed, 200 km off the Yorkshire coast.
When complete, Dogger Bank will generate enough energy to power up to 6 million UK homes every year.
