Gallery: Aeolus completes Luchterduinen

NETHERLANDS: Van Oord's new installation jack-up vessel Aeolus has completed its first commission by installing foundations and turbines at the 129MW Eneco Luchterduinen project.

by David Weston 19 June 2015

  • Van Oord's new installation vessel Aeolus has completed its first project (pic: Flying Focus)

    Van Oord's new installation vessel Aeolus has completed its first project (pic: Flying Focus)

  • Aeolus installed the foundations and turbines at the 129MW Eneco Luchterduinen project in the Netherlands (pic: Flying Focus)

    Aeolus installed the foundations and turbines at the 129MW Eneco Luchterduinen project in the Netherlands (pic: Flying Focus)

  • The project is using MHI-Vestas V112-3MW turbines

    The project is using MHI-Vestas V112-3MW turbines

  • Aeolus will next be used at the 600MW Gemini project, also in the Netherlands (pic: Flying Focus)

    Aeolus will next be used at the 600MW Gemini project, also in the Netherlands (pic: Flying Focus)

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The ship was built at the Sietas shipyard in Germany, and left the port in February 2014 to begin its first project. It was the first jack-up vessel to be manufactured in Germany. 

The vessel was officially made operational in June 2014, and was put straight to work installing foundations at the 129MW Luchterduinen site. The project is being developed by Dutch utility Eneco and the japanese conglomerate Mitsubishi. 

The final foundation was installed in October 2014, with turbine installation beginning in April 2015. All of the 43 MHI-Vestas V112 3MW turbines have now been installed, completing the vessel's first project.

The Luchterduinen site is located 23 kilometers off the Dutch coast, between Noordwijk and Zandvoort. It is due to be commissioned by the end of the year.

Van Oord CEO, Pieter van Oord, said: "Although weather conditions have not always been favourable, Aeolus has done a great job on its first project."

Its next commission is to provide installation services to the 600MW Gemini project, also off the Dutch coast.