Aker Kvaerner to Deliver Substructures for Offshore Wind Turbines

A close-up of the substructure Multibrid M5000 (5MW each) windmills in Bremerhafen, these windmills are prototypes for the complete offshore windmill including the substructure

The German Multibrid Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH has awarded Aker Kvaerner a contract for the procurement and construction of thirteen steel-tripod substructures and piles for Multibrids M5000 offshore windmills. Six of these shall be installed 45 km off the coast of Germany at the German Offshore Testfield "Alpha Ventus", while the other seven shall be installed 6 km off the Normandy coast of France at the project "Côte d'Albâtre".

Aker Kvaerner Verdal has been pursuing the potential of offshore wind as a new market opportunity for the last two to three years. "The contract with Multibrid represents a breakthrough for Aker Kvaerner Verdal", says Bjørnar Skjevik, president of the fabrication yard. "We see great potential in a future offshore wind energy market with 5-MW-turbines in Europe. A successful delivery to Multibrid could pave way for future projects and deliveries from Verdal."

The contract to Aker Kvaerner Verdal, our fabrication yard in Mid-Norway, includes procurement of materials, rolling of tubulars, and construction until seafastening onto a transport vessel. The substructures will have a weight of approximately 700 tonnes each and a height of some 45 metres. The substructures will be installed at a water depth of approximately 30 metres.