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Huge ship set to carry turbines to North Sea farm

Richard Madden
BBC News
RWE An aerial image of the Wind Peak, a large ship, docked at the Port of Hull. Three large wind turbine blades have been loaded onto the red-coloured vessel which is next to several large white towers. The Humber estuary is visible on the left of the image and the city of Hull is visible in the background.RWE
The Wind Peak is due to transport wind turbine blades and other components to the Sofia project at the Dogger Bank

The first turbines for a major wind farm off the East Yorkshire coast will be installed "in the coming weeks", officials have said.

A purpose-built vessel, the Wind Peak, has arrived in Hull to carry components across 80 miles (129km) of the North Sea to the site on the Dogger Bank.

Officials said the vessel, which is 162m (530ft) long and 60m wide, was capable of transporting and installing seven turbine sets per load.

Sven Utermöhlen, the chief executive of RWE, which is developing the wind farm, said it was the energy firm's "largest offshore construction project globally" and was on track to generate its first power this year.

RWE An image of the Wind Peak as it sails down the Humber Estuary towards Hull. The large, red and white vessel is flanked by two red and white tug boats. A passenger ferry is visible in the distance. The vessel is carrying four tall black towers.RWE
Officials described the arrival of Wind Peak as a "milestone" for the development of the offshore wind farm in the North Sea

RWE said more than half of the turbine foundations had been installed, along with substations and cabling.

The first of 150 wind turbine blades, manufactured in Hull by Siemens Gamesa, are also ready for installation. Each will be recyclable, which the firm has described as "pioneering".

Mark Becker, the head of offshore at Siemens Gamesa, said: "This is a major landmark moment: Sofia, one of the largest offshore wind farms in the world, will be the first in UK waters to feature this industry-leading innovation."

Officials said the wind farm was expected to generate 1.4GW of electricity and feed energy to more than a million homes by the end of the year.

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