Construction starts on Saint-Brieuc wind farm

Van Oord’s offshore installation vessel, Aeolus

Dutch maritime contractor Van Oord has announced that construction work is underway on the Saint-Brieuc offshore wind farm, some 16km off the coast of Brittany.

Having been upgraded specifically for the work ahead, the company’s installation vessel Aeolus will now undertake the task of installing 62 jacket foundations for the 496MW project.

A total of 190 pin piles will be installed, with three each for the jacket foundations and four for the offshore substation.

The main crane on board Aeolus has a lifting capacity of 1,600 tonnes, while its advanced jacking system, with 85m legs, will allow the vessel to work in waters of up to 45m deep. During drilling, the vessel must be jacked up above sea level, which can only safely be done between the months of March and October, due to the adverse weather and sea conditions.

Van Oord says Aeolus now has on board new hydraulic drills, specifically designed to handle all types of soil and rock. The company adds that a state-of-the-art drilling template will be used as a positioning and holding tool, ensuring precise placement of the piles.

Through the use of a number of additional vessels, for the removal of boulders, transportation of the piles and other peripheral work, Van Oord says the piles will be installed during 2021 and 2022, with the jackets also installed during 2022.