Nordic Yards lays down largest offshore converter platform SylWin alpha
With the dock laying of SylWin alpha, Nordic Yards has reached another milestone in the production of the offshore converter platform. In Warnemünde, the traditional ceremony – which is known as "keel laying" in the case of ships – was held in the presence of representatives of the client Siemens Energy and the end customer, the transmission grid operator TenneT, the shipbuilding company press release said.
SylWin alpha is the third and also the largest converter platform in the order books of the shipyard group. Due to its size it can no longer be produced in the dock, but is being built on a barge across the dock. Corresponding reinforcement measures on Warnemünde's dry dock entail the installation of around 1,000 m³ of concrete for load beams and bored piles and the incorporation of 60 tonnes of concrete reinforcement steel.
Jörgen Krömeke, Project Manager at Siemens AG for the offshore grid connection project SylWin1, stated during the dock laying ceremony that he was very satisfied with the work of the yard: "We are delighted that we can now also continue the successful collaboration on the two almost completed converter platforms BorWin beta and HelWin alpha with the third and largest platform so far."
And Wilfried Breuer, Senior Manager Offshore Projects at TenneT TSO GmbH, explained: "The expansion of offshore wind power is a major challenge for all involved. A pioneering effort – in which as the largest investor in the energy revolution we are placing our trust in strong partners such as Nordic Yards."
Three out of the six platforms of this type currently under construction throughout the world are being built at Nordic Yards in Wismar and Warnemünde. In addition to the offshore platforms, a contract has recently been signed with DBB Jack-Up Services to build a maintenance vessel for offshore wind turbines – with an option for two more ships. "Nordic Yards' transformation to a maritime systems integrator has now been successfully completed.
Through the demanding pioneering work on the three converter platforms, the innovative offshore service vessel in the order books and the very good market prospects – e.g. thanks to the expected high demand for offshore platforms – Nordic Yards is ideally prepared for the future," says Vitaly Yusufov, owner and Managing Director of the shipyard group.
The "topside", the actual platform, is being installed 23 metres above the water level and contains the high-voltage direct current transmission technology (HVDC technology) for converting from alternating current to direct current. The topside and base frame, the supporting foundation, are being optimised and produced at the two Nordic locations.
With its height of over 90 metres, width of 56 metres and length of 82 metres, SylWin alpha is not only larger than its sister platforms BorWin beta and HelWin alpha, but also the largest platform of its kind that has been built to date.
The transformer station will be installed about 70 kilometres west of Sylt, converting up to 864 megawatts of the current generated at the wind farms of DanTysk and Butendiek and transferring it as direct current by submarine cables to the German mainland.