German multinational energy company RWE has selected Port of Blyth in the East Coast of the UK, as offshore construction base for its large-scale, 1.4GW Sofia offshore wind farm.
Commissioned in December 2000, Port of Blyth served as based for the UK’s first offshore wind turbine pilot project operated by E.ON, whose operations were acquire by RWE.
Blyth will now manage the offshore construction activities of Sofia offshore wind farm, which is located 195km off the UK coast on Dogger Bank, and progressing with onshore works.
The new-build Offshore Construction Base (OCB) will be constructed at Port of Blyth’s recently redeveloped Bates Clean Energy Terminal.
It will become a management hub for the vessels and logistics related to the RWE’s project, throughout its offshore construction phase in 2024.
The OCB will be managed and maintained by the Port of Blyth, to support the project throughout its construction period of three-and-a-half years.
RWE Sofia project director Matthew Swanwick said: “Choosing the base for Sofia’s offshore construction has been a key decision as it will be home to the team for more than three years and will play a vital role in the successful completion of the project.
“The Port of Blyth offers us not only a strategic location and access to a strong marine supply chain but also an impressive new facility that will also ensure a legacy beyond the project.”
According to RWE, Port of Blyth is strategically located in the middle of North Sea, for supporting wind farm developments down the UK’s east coast.
Sofia OCB is anticipated to provide direct access to the port’s wide range of services, along with the redeveloped terminal’s heavy lift quay.
Upon completion of its construction in March 2023, an advanced Service Operations Vessel (SOV) will visit the port once every three weeks, for crew transfer and restocking of vessels.
SOVs serve as a floating home for offshore construction teams for up to three weeks at a stretch, ensuring experts are continuously available on site.
Once completed, the Sofia offshore wind farm will be operated from the company’s Grimsby Hub, which is being expanded at its base on Royal Dock, Grimsby.
