The Bold and the Brave Take Turns in Taiwan

In April 2021, Fred. Olsen Windcarrier was chosen by Siemens Gamesa Offshore Wind Ltd. (SGRE) for the transportation and installation of 47 wind turbines at the new Formosa 2 offshore wind farm in Taiwan. Jack-up vessel Brave Tern began the installation process in June 2022 and was replaced by the newly upgraded Bold Tern in August. Both vessels then teamed up to finish the project, the installation was successfully completed on 31^st January 2023.

Brave Tern

Formosa 2 is located in Miaoli County in Taiwan. It was built as part of a zonal development initiative by the Taiwanese government, which is planning to add 5.5GW of wind power to its energy mix by 2025.

The new windfarm will provide Taiwan with clean energy and assist its transition towards using more renewable energy. With 47 SG 8.0-167 DD turbines, it will generate 376MW, and generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of approximately 380,000 households.

Fred. Olsen Windcarrier has worked with SGRE on multiple offshore wind projects in Taiwan. Over ten years of successful partnership and co-operation, the two companies have developed a solid relationship that has proved invaluable for the smooth and efficient planning, preparation, and execution of the new Formosa 2 windfarm.

“The Formosa 2 project showcases our continued commitment to the growing Taiwanese offshore wind market and to the APAC region in general. The project contributes significantly to Taiwan’s renewable energy targets, and we are proud to take a leading role in the Taiwanese offshore wind market. We look forward to working with local partners and SGRE again in the future,” says Hans-Petter Austad, Senior Project Manager of Fred. Olsen Windcarrier.

“We would like to extend our thanks to FOWIC for their continued support and excellent flexibility over the course of the last year to bring the Formosa 2 project to a successful installation completion. This has required the hard work and dedication of all our teams who have worked tirelessly together – often in challenging conditions – to achieve this important milestone. A big thank you to all involved!” says James Oxbrow, Head of Project Management Offshore (APAC) of Siemens Gamesa Offshore Wind Ltd.

The Bold Tern with new 1600t crane

Bold Tern’s upgrades, completed in Singapore in June 2022, include a new 1600t crane, an increased width with sponsons, higher jacking and preload capacity, improvements to the mooring system, and 12 new single cabins. She also features a new offshore gangway and a blade rack supporting structure on the stern to optimize deck layout.

Bold Tern will be kept in the region to complete new projects for different developers. Brave Tern will return to Europe to be made ready for her next assignment. Watch this space!

Featured Title photograph

Brave Tern