Bold Tern Awarded US Wind Installation Contract

Fred. Olsen Windcarrier has secured a contract for the installation of wind turbines at Block Island Wind Farm, one of the first offshore wind farms in the United States.

The American developer Deepwater Wind revealed last week that the site will consist of five Alstom Haliade 150-6 MW wind turbines, generating approximately 125,000 MWH of electricity each year, enough to power over 17,000 homes.

Deepwater Wind is at the forefront of America’s evolving offshore wind market and is bringing some of the world’s most innovative offshore wind technology to the United States and jumpstarting an East Coast offshore wind industry. 

"We are very pleased to add Fred. Olsen Windcarrier to our world-class team for the Block Island Wind Farm.  The Bold Tern is a class-leading vessel for offshore installation and Fred. Olsen Windcarrier brings deep experience in offshore construction and high standards of excellence to the work they do," said Jeffrey Grybowski, CEO, Deepwater Wind.

Not only will this project be one of the first wind farms to be developed offshore in the U.S., but it will also be the first wind farm to feature Alstom’s powerful 6MW turbine. Having previously installed Alstom’s Haliade 150-6 MW offshore demonstrator turbine in Belgium last autumn, Fred. Olsen Windcarrier will bring all important experience to the project. 

‘We are truly delighted to be installing this significant project which is driving forward the Offshore Wind industry in the United States. We have already established a very good relationship with the people in the project team at Deepwater Wind and we will once again be working with Alstom to install their impressive 6MW turbine,” said Ketil Arvesen of Fred. Olsen Windcarrier.

Fred. Olsen Windcarrier’s class-leading self-propelled jack-up vessel Bold Tern will perform the installation off the coast of Rhode Island. The Bold Tern is due to commence work in the third quarter of 2016 and the duration of the contract is a firm period of 65 days, with possible extensions for up to 48 days.