November 14 - GAC UK has been appointed by Seaway Heavy Lifting (SHL) to provide shipping services support for the construction and installation of 84 new turbines as part of a major wind farm expansion project in the UK, which will increase generating ca

The wind farm expansion project was awarded to Subsea 7, a 50 percent shareholder in SHL, in May this year.

The contract was awarded by Beatrice Offshore Windfarm Limited (BOWL), for the engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) of the Beatrice wind farm turbine foundations and array cables.

Located in the Outer Moray Firth, offshore Scotland, the Beatrice wind turbines will generate 588 MW of power once the wind farm becomes fully operational in 2019.

Subsea 7, in alliance with SHL, will project manage, design, engineer, fabricate and install EPCI jacket foundations and array cables for 84 wind turbines, and perform the transportation and installation of the offshore transmission modules.

SHL will also transport and install the offshore substations.

SHL has appointed GAC UK to provide a range of shipping, logistics and support solutions.

These will include ships agency and handling of vessels delivering materials and equipment for the construction work, with a location in the Cromarty Firth being used as a storage hub for deliveries to the offshore site.

GAC UK will also provide support for other vessels that will be involved in the project, such as CTVs, multi-cats and barges at all ports in the UK, except Wick.

Both of SHL's heavy lift crane vessels will be deployed: Stanislav Yudin from April 2017 to April 2018, Oleg Strashnov from August to October 2017 and again from May to July 2018.

Michiel Goedkoop, operations director at SHL, says: "GAC's understanding of the quality and efficiency our operations require and the time-critical nature of support our sector demands, and its proven dependability, were key in the decision to award it the contract."

Jeannette Shoebridge, GAC UK's renewables & dry bulk manager, adds: "As a group, we have a long-standing relationship with SHL and its vessels, especially the Stanislav Yudin, which we have taken care of at Gwynt-y-Mor, Burbo Bank and Dudgeon wind farms previously.



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