Sif Monopiles for First Large US Offshore Windfarm
Sif Holding will manufacture 84 monopiles (103,000t steel) for the 800MW Vineyard project in Massachusetts USA. Sif’s scope comprises manufacturing of the monopiles, storage at the company’s Maasvlakte 2 facility and delivery by RoRo load-out via its deep sea quay side on transportation vessels in 2020-2021.
The state of Massachusetts has kicked-off America’s first large-scale offshore wind project under the name of Vineyard Wind. This project will power over 400,000 homes and industries and is located some 10km south of Martha’s Vineyard. The project is being developed and realised by Vineyard Wind. It is the first project in a series planned to serve the state of Massachusetts that by 2035 will result in 3.2GW of offshore wind generation capacity.
This project is an excellent example how to respect the environment while meeting economical demands. The installation of the monopiles is subject to a schedule that includes seasonal restrictions on pile driving activity as a protective measure for the highly endangered North Atlantic Right Whales. Sif will maintain a very strict manufacturing schedule of the monopiles to meet these seasonal restrictions. Sif’s ability and confidence to meet this schedule was an important consideration in being selected by Vineyard Wind.
Fred van Beers, CEO of Sif comments, “For Sif this is an exciting milestone in our continuous development as leading monopile manufacturer. By being part of the supply chain for the first large-scale windfarm to be built in the US, Sif takes an important step towards growth into new markets. Our track record as a reliable quality builder of monopiles and our commitment to truly partner with our customers will assure we will turn this new project into a success for our customer whom we thank for their trust in Sif.”