SeaZip is Spreading its Wings to the UK
SeaZip Offshore Service has opened an office in the UK. It has responded to the appeal made by the British Government to companies specialising in renewable offshore energy to set up business in the UK. SeaZip Managing Director and owner Mr Jan Reier Arends says, “The UK is the undisputed pioneer in Europe with regard to the creation of offshore windfarms. As maritime service providers, we feel that being involved in this at a local level is vital.”
Almost at the same time as its official introduction in the UK, SeaZip Offshore Service was able to sign a contract for the deployment of one of its SeaZip service vessels to support installation work in respect of the Galloper offshore windfarm, which boasts 56 wind turbines at a distance of 27km from the Suffolk coast and accounts for a total capacity of 336MW. According to plan, the farm will be up and running by 2018. Mr Arends says, “We couldn’t have asked for a better kick-off in the UK. All indications are that offshore operations are greatly accelerating. It is good to be part of this.”
SeaZip Offshore Service is setting up business in the Orbis Energy Building in the seaport town of Lowestoft, Suffolk, on the English east coast. The Orbis Energy Building is the hub for companies that specialise in green offshore energy. Its tenant list shows an impressive array of international players and SeaZip Offshore Service is now one of them. SeaZip currently has a fleet comprising six state-of-the-art service vessels for the transport of crew and light freight. These vessels are of the Damen Fast Crew Supplier 2610 type; they are reputed for their stable seagoing conditions and modelled after the proven Twin Axe Bow principle.
In the UK, between now and 2020, twelve projects accounting for another 5.2GW are planned. The UK intends to have realised a total installed power of at least 20GW by around 2030. The focus is on Lowestoft, located on the east coast of the English North Sea, originally a fishing village and now rapidly developing into a strategic seaport for the offshore wind energy. In 2014, Lowestoft was officially designated as Operations & Maintenance base for the Galloper offshore windfarm. Previously, Lowestoft had acquired this status in respect of the Greater Gabbard windfarm, which was delivered in 2012.