In agreement with Flushing-based BOW Terminal, the turbine manufacturer will establish a new pre-assembly facility to support future offshore wind parks in the region.
MHI Vestas Offshore Wind and BOW Terminal announced a landmark agreement today that will provide the offshore wind turbine manufacturer with 20 hectares of land at the Port of Vlissingen in the Netherlands.
Bo Bjerregaard, Director of Global Pre-Assembly & Logistics at MHI Vestas, said, “Our experience in the Dutch offshore wind market dates back to 2007, when the first offshore wind power plant was installed. Today, we’re proud to announce our newest investment in the Netherlands and are pleased to play a role in the creation of local jobs at the historic Port of Vlissingen. Establishing this facility further demonstrates our long-term commitment to the Dutch offshore wind market and will expand our expertise in the region.”
The Port of Vlissingen is becoming an increasingly strategic location for Dutch offshore wind power plants as a significant portion of future projects are slated to be constructed there. The Dutch government has announced three major offshore wind farm zones to be developed between 2015 and 2021: Borssele, Hollandse Kust Zuid (South) and Hollandse Kust Noord (North).
Ludolf Reijntjes, Managing Director at BOW Terminal, said, “This new contract will mean a lot to Zeeland Seaports, BOW, Vlissingen and surrounding communities for years to come. Beyond direct employment at the port, there will be many opportunities for local supply companies as well. We look forward to sitting down with MHI Vestas in the months ahead to determine the necessary requirements for our first projects together”.
The companies confirm that up to 50 local jobs will be created from the new agreement, with the employment ramp-up beginning in fall 2018.
The first project for MHI Vestas at Vlissingen, scheduled for late 2018, will be the Norther offshore wind park, located 23km off the Belgian coast and in close proximity to the new pre-assembly facility.
Reijntjes adds, “The agreement with MHI Vestas underlines the leading position in the offshore wind industry we have reached within a relatively short period. With our dedicated facilities close to the North Sea, virtually no tidal restrictions, and with excellent hinterland connections, we are positioned extremely well for North Sea offshore wind projects. We believe that these factors, together with the broad experience of our team in handling offshore wind components, helped MHI Vestas choose BOW Terminal.”
The contract signals a new era for BOW Terminal. Since 2010, the family-owned company has operated as a marshalling yard for monopiles and transition pieces, but now the company is set to expand as a full-service partner for its first wind turbine generator (WTG), with operations set to begin for MHI Vestas in autumn 2018.
The deal is also the latest in a sweeping round of industrial expansion plans from MHI Vestas, including a state-of-the-art Power Converter Module facility in Denmark, a world-class test bench for its 9.5 MW turbine in the US, and an expansive blade painting and logistics factory in the UK.
For further information, contact:
Stewart Mullin
MHI Vestas Offshore Wind
Tel: +45 2246 1230Call: +45 2246 1230
stmin@mhivestasoffshore.com
Ludolf Reijntjes
BOW Terminal
Tel: +31 6 15002815Call: +31 6 15002815
Ludolf.Reijntjes@bowterminal.nl
About MHI Vestas Offshore Wind
MHI Vestas Offshore Wind is a joint venture between Vestas Wind Systems A/S 50% and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) 50%. The company’s focus is to design, manufacture, install and service wind turbines for the offshore wind industry. The company aims to create sustainable value through offshore wind power by driving capital and operating savings and increasing the power output of wind turbines. An innovative force in offshore wind since its inception in 2014, the company is guided by its founding principles of collaboration, trust, technology and commitment. For more information, see www.mhivestasoffshore.com
About BOW Terminal
BOW Terminal is part of the family owned Kloosterboer Group. Kloosterboer, founded in 1925, specialises in storage, stevedoring, logistics, customs formalities and logistical IT solutions for temperature controlled food products. The terminals of Kloosterboer are located in the Netherlands (Elst, Rotterdam, Vlissingen and IJmuiden as well as in France, Sweden, Norway, the US and Canada. From the start of BOW Terminal (BOW originally stands for Breakbulk and Offshore Wind), the terminal built a considerable track record in offshore wind, with projects such as Amrun Bank, Dan Tysk, Gemini, Humber Gateway, London Array, Northwind and Sheringham Shoal. The company provides a wide range of facilities and services. Based on project value analyses, tight project management and an elaborate and diverse package of transport possibilities, BOW Terminal offers clients creative and cost-effective transport and heavy-lift solutions and first-rate storage facilities.
