Fred Olsen Windcarrier Successfully Completes Saint-Brieuc OWF Project On Time
This week, on Sunday, 17th of December, Fred Olsen Windcarrier (FOWIC) successfully and on time completed their first project in France, transport of 62 SG 8.0-167 DD wind turbines at the Saint-Brieuc Offshore Wind farm.
This location and new territory posed us and Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) many unique challenges: the seabed, the waters, the weather, the port, and a new turbine factory, to mention some. But thanks to their brilliant crew – their expertise, resilience, and adaptability under pressure – they overcame the many challenges and delivered the project on time and with an outstanding HSEQ performance.
The seabed’s exceptional hardness, with a shear strength ten times that of concrete, made it particularly difficult to work on. Hammering down on such a rigid surface required immense effort and precision.
The English Channel was another obstacle. Not only does the busy waterway have high traffic, but the breakwater out of port is also narrow to pass through. These factors made navigation and operations particularly challenging for the crew, demanding exceptional skill and expertise.
Furthermore, the weather was a challenge. The tidal waters, high currents, and long swells from the Atlantic Sea made work from the vessel harder than normal.
The skilled and hard-working crews of the client SGRE managed to keep pace with the turbine manufacturing process, overcoming initial delays and logistical hurdles. This was crucial, as the newly established factory supplied turbines directly to the vessels for installation.
“The success in overcoming the challenges directly reflects the crew’s brilliance. Their expertise, resilience, and adaptability under pressure were essential in navigating through these many challenges,” tells Petter Faye Søyland, Senior Project Manager at Fred. Olsen Windcarrier.
Despite the harsh working conditions, the crews maintained one of the best health, safety, and environmental standards in Fred. Olsen Windcarrier’s history.
“With more than 330,000 working hours since March, the project witnessed an impressive HSEQ performance – something we are really proud of,” says Petter Faye Søyland, Senior Project Manager at Fred. Olsen Windcarrier.
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