James Fisher Marine Services (JFMS) has been granted preferred supplier status by Atlantis Resources for a 5-year period in connection with the operations and maintenance (O&M) of the MeyGen Phase 1A tidal turbines.
JFMS will install and connect three tidal turbines, out of four total as part of the MeyGen Phase 1A project later this year.
The parties have also agreed, subject to terms, to secure the services of JFMS’s HF4 tidal energy vessel, specifically developed for the challenging working conditions in the tidal environment to underpin delivery of the preferred O&M supplier scope, JFMS informed.
David Taaffe , Project Director at MeyGen, said: “James Fisher has been involved with us in the development of this significant tidal energy project since the start and was the obvious partner for MeyGen’s O&M services. The expertise JFMS has demonstrated in challenging marine and subsea operations gives us complete confidence in the ongoing success of this exciting project.”
The HF4 vessel has been designed to dynamically position and maintain station in currents up to 10 knots, such as those encountered at the MeyGen site. It is equipped with a 250T A-Frame, and according to JFMS, the HF4 will be able to undertake all of the Phase 1A offshore O&M tasks, as well as providing construction capability for the broader tidal sector.
The use of the HF4 vessel for O&M will contribute to reductions in the operational expenditure of the project as it is more cost effective than non-specialised construction vessels, according to JFMS, the provider of services for marine energy installation projects – part of James Fisher and Sons.
Three turbines for the MeyGen Phase1A have been supplied by Andritz Hydro Hammerfest, and the fourth by Atlantis – each with a rated power of 1.5MW.