The Port Logistics Challenges of Offshore Wind
Some equations just don’t add up. For example, storing 500 offshore wind turbine blades at a site with only space for 400 (and that’s only if you don’t store the other key elements required to build a full turbine). Elaine Maslin visited Siemens Gamesa’s blade manufacturing facility in Hull, UK, to find out more.Storage space is becoming a major challenge that’s looming for ports involved in the fast-evolving offshore wind industry. It’s already becoming a challenge for Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy at its blade manufacturing facility in Hull, on England’s east coast.
ABP Wins Hornsea One Blade Contract
Spanish manufacturing company Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy has contracted Associated British Ports (ABP) to provide storage for 37 of its wind turbine blades destined for the Hornsea Project One offshore wind farm.The UK's port group said UK's leading ports group said that to accommodate the expanding business of the leading wind turbine blade manufacturer, a six-acre area located at the Port of Hull's Eastern Access, on King George Dock, is now being leased for the storage of the 75 metre, 30 tonne blades.David Morriss, ABP Humber Head of Property, said: "We're proud to be able to say that we have been an essential link in a major green project such as this, which will eventually see the blades powering one-million homes.
Work on Green Port Hull Alexandra Dock Underway
Construction work on the Green Port Hull Alexandra Dock site is progressing well and is on schedule for an early 2017 completion, Associated British Ports (ABP) has announced. The 54-acre site, which ABP and its main contractor GRAHAM Lagan Construction Group Joint Venture (JV) are preparing for Siemens’ offshore wind turbine manufacturing facility, is being transformed in Hull’s biggest engineering project since the port was built. The enabling works undertaken by ABP and their contractors are worth £150 million. The dock infill has now been completed, with one million cubic metres of sand pumped into the dock to fill one third of the water area.
Siemens to Decide on Hull, UK, Wind Turbine Factory
Planning consent for the ambitious £210-million redevelopment of Alexandra Dock where the factory will be based was granted in May. Already huge jack-up cranes are now regularly shipping turbine components from a riverside quay off Albert Dock to offshore wind farm sites off the Norfolk coast. Work has also already started on re-equipping a shipyard in Paull, where a new fleet of support vessels for the offshore wind industry will be built, reports the 'Hull Daily Mail'. Mark Jones, Hull City Council's head of economic development and regeneration said: "There is a revival of shipbuilding and marine engineering on the estuary. Alexandra Dock is set to be transformed under Green Port Hull plans.
Wind Farm Base Project Gets UK Local Green Light
Hull City Council’s Planning Committeehas given its consent to the proposed Green Port Hull facility following the submission of plans by Associated British Ports (ABP) and Siemens plc. The German manufacturer, which will invest about £80m, plans to have the site operational by 2014, in time to start making turbines ahead of the first UK Round 3 projects. Steven Bayes, portfolio holder for economic regeneration and employment on Hull City Council, says: "We welcome that the planning committee has approved the application as it marks another key milestone in this major project. Negotiations to secure and sign a commercial agreement between the two companies continue…
UK Port Development Proposal Opposed – Fear of Flooding
Siemens and Associated British Ports’ (ABP) plan for a £210m wind turbine facility at Green Port Hull have been recommended for conditional approval by planners, nevertheless flooding fears have prompted the Environment Agency (EA) to object to plans for the development. The project, which is expected to create 700 jobs and complete in 2014, involves the demolition of existing buildings at Alexandra Dock for use as a massive facility for the manufacture, assembly, storage, handling and testing of wind turbine components for the offshore power industry. However the EA is concerned the development would affect its ability to fulfil it "flood risk management role", saying it "may result in places such as Hull, Grimsby and Immingham facing an increased risk of flooding".
