ABP's Port of Barrow signs key agreement with DONG Energy to assist development of Walney Offshore Windfarm
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Associated British Ports (ABP) has joined forces with DONG Energy Ltd in handling essential components for more than 100 wind turbines as part of the construction of the Walney Offshore Windfarm off the Cumbrian coast. The agreement gives DONG Energy access to 18 acres of land at ABP’s Port of Barrow, which will be used for the import, storage and onward transit of the deep-sea piles and transition pieces for 102 3.6MW wind turbines. It is anticipated that construction work on the wind farm will begin in March 2010.
Nick Ridehalgh, ABP Port Director, Short-Sea Ports, said:
“The agreement with DONG Energy is very good news for Barrow. We are pleased that the port has been chosen as a construction base for such a significant infrastructure development in the North-West. Our location on the Irish Sea, together with a highly-skilled local workforce used to handling large project cargoes, makes Barrow an ideal centre from which to serve offshore energy projects.”
Jens Hansen, DONG Energy Ltd’s Project Manager, Walney Offshore Windfarm, added:
“The scale of offshore wind power currently envisaged in the UK energy system is far larger than in any other country in the world, and DONG Energy is proud of our role in developing this capacity. When complete, the area covered by the Walney Offshore Windfarm will be in the region of 73km2, making it one of the largest developments in the world. The prevailing weather conditions are ideal, with an average windspeed of 9.3m/s, and we have already established an Operations & Maintenance base at Barrow for easy access to the turbines once they are in position.”
ABP is exhibiting today at the British Wind Energy Association’s eighth annual Offshore Conference, held in London’s QEII Conference Centre, Westminster.
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