An official keel-laying ceremony for the offshore wind installation vessel ‘Green Jade’ was held Friday at CSBC’s shipyard in Kaohsiung, marking an important moment in Taiwan’s maritime and offshore wind history.
‘Green Jade’ is owned by CDWE, a joint venture between CSBC, the largest shipbuilder in Taiwan and DEME Offshore.
The vessel is the first floating, DP3 heavy lift and installation vessel to be built in Taiwan. ‘Green Jade’ will feature a 4,000-tonne crane capacity and will be equipped to transport multiple the next generation, multi-megawatt turbines, jackets, and components in a single shipment
It will be 216.5 meters long and will be able to accommodate a crew of up to 160 people. 'Green Jade’ will have dual-fuel engines and a Green Passport and Clean Design notation.
"‘Green Jade’ highlights CDWE’s ambitions to further support the development of the offshore wind industry in Taiwan and the wider Asia Pacific region. With the vessel being built in Kaohsiung and operating under the Taiwanese flag, and eventually being crewed by Taiwanese nationals, CDWE is putting every effort into maximizing local content," the joint venture said.
Expected to enter service in 2022, ‘Green Jade’ will be deployed for both the Hai Long and Zhong Neng offshore wind farms.
Kurt Guo, Chairman CDWE, said: "The birth of ‘Green Jade’ shouldered multiple missions. It revolutionized and brought Taiwan’s shipbuilding technology and marine engineering to a new era, while facilitating the government’s localization policy, allowing industrial technology and capability to take root in Taiwan.
"We are realizing the blueprints step by step for the first main installation vessel to be built in Taiwan by Taiwan’s shipyard. In the near future, we will develop Taiwan’s offshore wind market further as the expertise and experience of CDWE’s local construction teams develops. This will enable us to take steady steps from Taiwan into the Asia Pacific region’s offshore wind industry in the long-term.”
Hugo Bouvy, Managing Director DEME Offshore, said: “We are proud to have successfully reached the next stage of the construction process. ‘Green Jade’ highlights DEME’s full commitment to the flourishing Taiwanese offshore wind market.
"This is underscored by the fact that this represents the largest single overseas investment ever made by the DEME Group. This special vessel is set to revolutionize the offshore wind sector, given its extensive capabilities and loading capacity. Our decision to make such a substantial investment – taken at the height of the pandemic – is already proving to be the right one. Indeed, ‘Green Jade’ has a healthy orderbook for the first three years.”