It’s particularly well positioned close to activities offshore wind activities in the North Sea and the recently completed Maasvlakte II port extension has provided opportunities to explore alternative activities and the offshore wind sector.
Sif Group and Verbrugge International have teamed up to build a dedicated offshore terminal and production site for offshore wind turbine monopile foundations under the name Offshore Terminal Rotterdam.
The favoured approach is now to locate these production facilities at deepwater ports with close access to the sea for transportation onwards or loading directly onto installation vessels as turbines and their associated components increase in size.
Sif’s new plant is currently being built on a site covering 42 hectares. PRA is building a 400m long deepwater quay for seagoing vessels and a 100m long quay for inland vessels.
The firms are setting up a joint venture to bring together the logistics and production of offshore foundations which will create a production site where monopiles can be manufactured with a diameter of 11m or more.
Sif expects to start producing piles, transition pieces and other products in the second half of 2016 and if all goes according to plan Offshore Terminal Rotterdam will become fully operation at the end of 2017.
Adapted from an article in our sister magazine Maritime Journal