Cowes-based offshore energy support vessel operator Seacat Services has secured long-term extensions to its vessel support contracts with Siemens Gamesa at the Galloper wind farm off the coast of Suffolk.
Building on a pair of two-year operations and maintenance (O&M) charter agreements signed in 2017 for vessels Seacat Vigilant and Seacat Liberty , Siemens Gamesa has now extended both contracts.
Seacat Liberty is now under contract until the fourth quarter of 2022 and Seacat Vigilant until the fourth quarter of 2020, with options to extend further.
These multi-million-pound contract extensions will see Seacat Services continue to provide specialist logistical support to the Siemens Gamesa technical teams, transporting technicians and O&M equipment as they perform both scheduled and unscheduled maintenance at the 56-turbine Galloper site.
“Not only does continuing to collaborate with a UK vessel operator support job creation in the domestic renewable energy industry; our long-standing relationship with Seacat Services across Europe helps grow a shared culture of trust for safety and productivity. It also means we have access to one of the most capable fleets in the offshore wind sector – with the substantial project benefits this entails,” Steve Myers , Implementation and Asset Manager, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, said.
“We are very pleased to say that our O&M operations at Galloper progress positively – and this continued focus will help us build on the firm foundation we already have in place.”
The third Seacat vessel, Seacat Ranger, remains on charter for Galloper Wind Farm Ltd, the company said.
Ian Baylis , Managing Director, Seacat Services, said: “The importance of safe, cost-effective management of offshore wind support fleets cannot be underestimated. Market understanding of this is growing, and it is increasingly being reflected in the development of stable, collaborative supplier relationships. The offshore wind market must continue to acknowledge the productivity gains, safety improvements and cost-efficiencies that these long-term relationships offer.”
Located approximately 30 kilometres off the Suffolk coast, the 353MW Galloper wind farm comprises 56 Siemens Gamesa 6.3MW turbines. The wind farm has been fully operational since March 2018.