Plenty of activity at the Breakbulk and Offshore Wind Terminal
Zeeland Seaports continues to develop more and more as operating base for project cargo
The BOW terminal in Vlissingen’s Westhofhaven really got under steam in the first quarter of 2011. The company, which began its operations in 2010, concluded various contracts at the end of last year for the handling, transshipment and storage of project cargo.
BOW also expects to attract several projects for the period 2012-2014.
At the moment, BOW is providing support with the construction of three large wind farms close to the English coast. One of the projects was commissioned by Norway’s Statoil, which is responsible for the development of the Sheringham Shoal Offshore Windfarm.
This week, BOW was visited for the first time by the MS Oleg Strashnov, owned by the firm Seaway Heavylift, in connection with this project.
The Oleg Strashnov only went into service recently and called in Vlissingen during its maiden voyage, to pick up bedplates. With a hoisting capacity of 5,000mt and a length of 183 loa, it is one of the biggest crane ships of its kind. The ship will make the voyage to Vlissingen more often in the coming period, because some 71 bedplates in total will have to be shipped in connection with the above-mentioned project.
In total, BOW will perform some 500 heavy lifts in 2011 for the offshore wind industry. This will involve a total of around 15,000mt. All told, the work will provide work for some 500 people.
In connection with the expansion of its operations, the company took over a further 7 hectares of land from Zeeland Seaports at the beginning of this year.
Various wind farms are being built in the North Sea and the builders are starting to value the Zeeland ports more and more as the operating base for transporting the various components.
Due to the open connection with the North Sea and a depth of 16.5 metres, with hardly any tidal restrictions, the Zeeland ports form an excellent operating basis for consignments to the wind farms in the North Sea. In addition to this, the companies which operate in the Zeeland ports are known for the quick and meticulous way they work and their customer-friendly, flexible and motivated attitude.
