Belgium: DEME Subsidiary Inks Northwind Contract

GeoSea, subsidiary of the Belgian DEME Group and specialising in offshore constructions, has just signed a contract with Northwind NV for the construction and installation of foundations for Northwind’s offshore wind farm project off the Belgian coast.

The project includes the installation of 73 steel mono piles and transition elements as foundations for the turbines and the transformer station. GeoSea will utilise its newest installation ships, designed for the installation of offshore and far shore wind farms.

Additionally, together with offshore sister company Tideway, GeoSea will lay the cables which will connect the turbines of the wind farm to one another.

GeoSea will also be involved in the installation of the Vestas wind turbines.

The foundation works will take place in the spring and summer of 2013. The installation works of the turbines will be completed by the end of 2013. More than 200 people will be employed on the Northwind project during construction at sea. The contracts represent a turnover of more than EUR 230 million for GeoSea.

Amongst GeoSea’s most recent special-purpose jack-up vessels are the self propelled DP2 jack-up vessel ‘Neptune’, the DP2 jack-up platform ‘Goliath’ and the jack-up vessel ‘Innovation’, which will be delivered in Gdynia (Poland) this summer. At that time, the Innovation will be the largest and most modern vessel on the market with a payload of 8,000 tonnes and a crane capable of lifting 1,500 tonnes.

GeoSea is one of the global market leaders in the installation of offshore wind turbines with projects in the United Kingdom, Germany, Scandinavia and, of course, Belgium. It will conduct this important work after the works at the Belgian C-Power wind farm on the Thornton Bank. This ensures the continuity of expertise in this regard

About GeoSea

GeoSea is a fast growing company specialising in complex offshore marine engineering projects. The company is part of the Belgian DEME Group that is active across the globe.

In 2011 GeoSea realised a turnover of EUR 145.68 million – a growth of 57% compared to 2010 – and employed 150 people. GeoSea’s jack-up platforms include Neptune, Goliath, Vagant, Buzzard, Zeebouwer, Halewijn, Tijl II, and Kobe. The Innovation (in co-ownership with Hochtief) will complete the fleet in 2012.

About DEME

The Belgian dredging, environmental and marine engineering group DEME was established in April 1991 from the merger between Dredging International and Baggerwerken Decloedt. A global market leader, the Group diversified from dredging operations and land reclamation to marine engineering projects at sea, services to oil and gas companies, installation of offshore wind farms, environmental activities such as soil remediation, sludge recycling and revalidation of brownfields, and wreck clearance. The Group has one of the most modern, high-tech and versatile fleets for dredging and marine engineering, with ships and rigs in every size and for every activity sector. DEME employs more than 4,200 people. The Belgian Group is implementing more than 70 projects simultaneously in over 50 countries around the world. In 2011 the DEME Group realised a turnover of EUR 1.766 billion. Its current investment programme in high-tech equipment enables DEME to meet future challenges with an ultra-efficient and modern fleet.

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Dredging Today Staff, June 29, 2012; Image: GeoSea