Express Offshore Solutions Delivers All Pin Piles for Taiwan Offshore Wind Farm

OE Staff Sep 10, 2020

Singapore's Express Offshore Solutions (EOS), together with their Taiwanese partner Hung Hua Construction Co. Ltd (HHC), has completed the transportation of 84 pin piles for the Taiwan Power Company's Changhua offshore wind farm project.

EOS, a subsidiary of Miclyn Express Offshore, said the work scope included the transportation to the offshore windfarm site in Taiwan of 80 pin piles from South Korean fabrication yard, and 4 pin piles from steel fabricator Ming Rong Yuan Business Co., Ltd in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

The contract scope also included the design and fabrication of grillage, integrated lifting tools, and other barge modifications required for the pin pile transportation.

The pin piles were transported on a total of 7 voyages by three tug and barge combinations, including EOS’ 400 x 120 ft barges, the EOS 4001 and EOS 4002, as well as HHC’s 330 ft barge, the DF Buffalo. The barges were towed by EOS’ 105T BP AHT Magellan 1, along with two other 120t BP AHTs operating under the project team, from South Korea to Taiwan. HHC’s AHTs, the Orient No. 8 was on site to assist in Taiwanese waters.

EOS told Offshore Engineer that the last batch was delivered this week.

Pin piles are installed on the seabed to support jacket structures on which offshore wind turbines will be installed.

Offshore installation contractor Jan De Nul last month said that the first jacket foundations had been installed at the project using Heerema Marine Contractors' offshore installation vessel Aegir, which Jan De Nul Group chartered for the installation campaign.

In total, the TPC offshore wind farm will comprise 21 offshore wind turbines, each installed on a jacket foundation, which are anchored to the seabed by four steel pin piles. The installation of pin piles started in June this year. Hitachi Ltd. is in charge of manufacturing, assembly, installation and other works related to the 21 Typhoon certified offshore wind turbines using a downwind rotor, each with a capacity of 5.2MW.