Seacat Services is a class-leading offshore energy support vessel (OESV) operator and Siemens Gamesa is a global offshore wind manufacturer and service provider.
Having secured the 56-turbine supply deal for the multi-million pound project, currently under construction by innogy SE, Siemens Gamesa is now supporting the wind farm as it moves into the operational phase, under the terms of a 15-year service contract. With the first batch of turbines starting to come online, meeting maintenance plans will be important to ensuring a smooth transition into long-term operations.
For the duration of the 24-month charter, Seacat Services will provide specialist logistical support to the Siemens Gamesa technical teams based out of Harwich, transporting technicians and equipment as they tackle both scheduled maintenance and technical requirements. To fulfil its commitment to the project, Seacat Services will deploy two advanced catamarans from its class-certified fourteen-vessel fleet; Seacat Vigilant and Seacat Liberty, 24m and 23m respectively.
The two vessels have been chosen specifically to support the variety and demands of the O&M activity that Siemens Gamesa technicians will be undertaking, 30km from shore. Seacat Services’ newest vessel, Seacat Liberty, which will be first unveiled at this year’s Seawork exhibition in June, has been chosen for its high pulling power, which will complement the versatility and reliability of the larger Seacat Vigilant, which is fresh from a five-year refit.
“This long-term, large-scale, contract with Siemens Gamesa is testament to the reputation and quality of the service provided by Seacat Services’ crew and shore-based teams, and the strength of the relationship we have built with Siemens over the past few years,” said Ian Baylis, Managing Director, Seacat Services.
“We’ve worked closely with Siemens Gamesa to ascertain which of our vessels are the best fit for this contract and will ultimately create long-term value by ensuring operations at Galloper get off to the strongest start possible. We’re thrilled to be introducing Seacat Liberty and the newly-refitted Seacat Vigilant onto the contract.”
Due to be fully operational in 2018, the Galloper Wind Farm has created 700 UK jobs during construction and will lead to a further 90 long-term east coast jobs. Siemens Gamesa’s choice of a UK supplier in Seacat Services – based out of Cowes, Isle of Wight - has further underlined its commitment to the local supply chain.
Steve Myers, Implementation & Asset Manager, at Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy said: “We chose Seacat Services because we value local expertise, and because it is imperative that the vessels we charter for our technicians provide the highest quality service - not just the lowest costs. When working on projects of this complexity it is critical that our offshore technicians are in the best position to do their jobs.”
“Our engineers and technicians will rely on vessel support through all stages of site operations, from completing planned maintenance, response through reactive maintenance, and troubleshooting. Siemens Gamesa can trust that Seacat Services crew are trained to the highest industry standards, operating the most versatile, reliable, and advanced vessels available to support our offshore workforce at Galloper.”
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