On the 29th of September 2010, the strike-steel ceremony for a newbuild project took place at the Keppel Verolme Shipyard in Rotterdam. Keppel Verolme BV and consortium partner Alstom (AREVA Energietechnik GmbH) secured a contract from Global Tech 1 Offshore Wind GmbH to build a Mobile Offshore Application Barge (MOAB) for a new offshore wind farm in the German Exclusive Economic Zone in the North Sea.
The self-erecting floating platform will host the transformers and high voltage switchgears to collect and convert electricity generated by the wind turbines for transportation ashore. Critical control systems on the platform serve as a backup power supply for the wind farm in case of emergencies. The platform will also provide the accommodation for up to 32 personnel operating the wind farm. Access to the platform will be through a heli-deck on top of the structure. The MOAB will be delivered
The MOAB transformer substation was designed by Overdick GmbH & co and is the first of its kind built for the offshore wind industry. The offshore wind park will be located 110 kilometers northwest of Cuxhaven in Northern Germany. The wind park will be operational in 2013. With eighty 5 MW wind turbines, the annual production of the wind park is calculated on 1.4 billion kWh, enough to supply around 445.000 household with renewable energy.