Latest news : Operations

Naming ceremony held for North Star’s Grampian Tees

1st February 2024 in Construction, Operations, Project news

North Star’s third hybrid-propulsion service operation vessel (SOV), the Grampian Tees, was named this week at an event held at the Port of Aberdeen, ahead of an early delivery to the Dogger Bank Wind Farm.

Jane Cunningham, PA to SSE’s Director of Capital Projects and the Dogger Bank Project Director, was named as the Godmother to the Grampian Tees; and Jessica Grant, the daughter of Mark Grant, Dogger Bank Head of Procurement and Commercial at SSE Renewables, was named as the Goddaughter of the Susan Auld daughter craft vessel. Together, they successfully performed the traditional good luck celebration by smashing a champagne bottle on the vessel after a blessing from one of the Aberdeen Seafarer’s Centre Port Chaplins.

The Grampian Tees reflects North Star’s Scottish heritage and the famous river in the North-East of England, where she will initially support the construction and commissioning of the wind farm from, before moving to support Operations, based out of the flagship O&M Base in the Port of Tyne. The daughter craft’s name honours Susan Auld (10th January 1915 – 9 March 2002), who was a pioneering naval architect from Tynemouth, North East England, and the first women to graduate as a naval architect from Durham University.

The Grampian Tees vessel belongs to the VARD 4 12 design and is one of four that will be used for at least ten years to support operations and maintenance at the Dogger Bank Wind Farm, which located more than 130km off the coast of Yorkshire in the North Sea. The vessel joins the Grampian Tyne and Grampian Derwent vessels, which were both delivered ahead of schedule to the wind farm in 2023.

The vessel design offers high-quality living quarters for technicians servicing the offshore wind turbines including a gym, along with a centralised logistics center capable of handling cargo and functioning as a warehouse for Dogger Bank Wind Farm, which is set to be the world’s largest offshore wind farm once complete.

In 2021, Dogger Bank Wind Farm awarded North Star Renewables with contracts to deliver four state-of-the-art SOVs to the project, creating 170 UK jobs based in crewing and shore-based roles.

Dogger Bank Wind Farm welcomes three new apprentices on board

9th November 2023 in Operations, Press releases

  • Three new apprentices join Dogger Bank Wind Farm
  • Apprenticeship training for future wind farm turbine technicians started for the first time
  • Represents a contribution to skills training and technical education in the UK offshore wind industry

Three new apprentices have started their training with Dogger Bank Wind Farm, based from the operations and maintenance base in South Tyneside, North East England. The apprentices are starting their training in a variety of roles, including electrical engineering and warehouse logistics.

Over the next two years, the three apprentices will be fully immersed in the operations, maintenance, and logistics of the wind farm, all while gaining the skills required for a career in the renewables sector. Each will also gain a professional qualification in their respective field.

Two apprentices will learn the skills needed to maintain the giant 260 meter tall turbines featured on the wind farm, which are located in the North Sea, more than 130km from the North East coastline, gaining a L3 MOET qualification and a foundation degree in engineering. This will include high voltage training, addressing a future skill gap and enabling the apprentices to support the first UK High Voltage Direct Current connected offshore wind farm at Dogger Bank.

Bridie Gallagher, 18, has started an apprenticeship in electrical engineering, where she will gain knowledge of the operations and maintenance of offshore wind turbines. She said “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to learn and work in the renewable energy industry, right from my hometown in South Shields. Being part of the team working on the largest offshore wind farm in the world is incredibly exciting.”

Another new starter, Jamie Edwards, age 18, started an apprenticeship in wind operations maintenance and logistics, where he will be a part of the team responsible for supplying essential components to the wind farm. He said “I was drawn to the idea of pursuing an apprenticeship because I wanted a hands-on learning experience, making this opportunity perfect for me. I am eager to begin working alongside the team and pursuing my qualifications.”

Over 2,000 jobs have been created or supported so far in the UK in relation to the construction and operation of the wind farm, including400 long-term roles created in association with the wind farm’s operations base in South Shields, England.

Mark Halliday, Operations Director at Dogger Bank Wind Farm, said: “Apprenticeships will play a crucial role in the long-term success and operation of our wind farm”

“We are committed to providing early career development opportunities. Apprenticeships offer a mutually beneficial pathway for both us and the apprentices, as they gain specialised skills and competencies that enhance their career prospects. By investing in apprenticeships, we also benefit from having highly skilled and motivated employees who can work on the Dogger Bank Wind Farm across its planned 35-year lifespan.”

Dogger Bank Wind Farm is proud to be supporting and developing talent within the industry. For more information about opportunities at Dogger Bank can be found here: https://doggerbank.com/recruitment/

North Star’s Grampian Derwent vessel delivered to the Dogger Bank Wind Farm

26th October 2023 in Operations, Project news, Supply Chain

The second of North Star’s new offshore wind fleet, the Grampian Derwent, has been delivered ahead of schedule to the Dogger Bank Wind Farm.  

The vessel was named at a ceremony at the Dogger Bank Operations and Maintenance Base at the Port of Tyne in the South Shields, England, where Sophie Banham and Emma Simpson, successfully performed the good luck ritual of smashing a champagne bottle against the ship’s hull during the traditional celebration.  

Sophie Banham, who was first involved in the Dogger Bank Wind Farm in 2008, has been chosen as the ship’s godmother. Emma Simpson, daughter of Euan Simpson, Dogger Bank Marine Supervisor, has been named the goddaughter of the Alison Kay daughter craft vessel, which will be permanently stationed on the Grampian Derwent. 

The name of the daughter craft honours Alison Kay, who established The People’s Kitchen in Newcastle upon Tyne as a means of providing food and hope to individuals who are homeless and sleeping on the streets of the city.  

The vessel belongs to the VARD 4 12-design and is one of four that will be used for at least ten years to support operations and maintenance at the Dogger Bank Wind Farm, located 130km off the coast of Yorkshire in the North Sea. The vessel joins the Grampian Tyne vessel, which was delivered to the wind farm in June 2023. 

The design provides high-quality accommodation to offshore wind turbine technicians, as well as a centralised logistics hub configured to handle cargo and act as a functioning warehouse offshore for Dogger Bank, which will become the largest offshore wind farm upon completion.

Certex UK wins contract on world’s largest offshore wind farm

13th October 2023 in Operations, Project news, Supply Chain

Certex UK’s Great Yarmouth based Engineering Services Division has won a major framework to supply statutory inspection and maintenance services on Dogger Bank Wind Farm.

The contract covers inspection and maintenance of cranes, personnel lifts, general lifting, and safety equipment across all the wind turbines and balance of plant.

Terry Hoenes, Renewables Divisional Manager, Certex UK said: “We have a long-established history working with Equinor on the Greater Wash windfarms off East Anglia and are delighted to have been awarded the 5-year framework. Our hard work over the years providing a strong service and the work put in to produce a competitive tender have paid off and we look forward to starting work on the GE platform wind turbine, the first of its kind in the UK”.

Certex UK Engineering Services Division is part of the Lifting Solutions Group of 22 companies with over 100 locations worldwide, with the renewable energy sector largely being served to date from the UK, Taiwan, and Denmark. However, a newly launched global renewables division incorporates additional companies in Germany, Spain, France, China, and the United States, which has recently pivoted towards wind energy.

Ian Shaw, Engineering Services Divisional Manager, said:

“This is another great step forward for our Engineering Services Division, and working closely with Equinor, gives us the opportunity to introduce more new starters to the industry through our mentorship and training programmes. Equinor has always been an excellent ambassador for development of new starters which helps us to grow a sustainable skilled workforce.” Shaw added “The wider renewables industry growth is continually accelerating, and we need to ensure the supply chain and pool of skilled workers are available, to play our part in this we have developed a route to career programme covering the entry level GWO safety training at our newly accredited facility in Doncaster and the technical inspection training at our site in Great Yarmouth. We have also recently started working with ex forces resettlement agencies and look forward to introducing many more new people to a career in wind”.

Dogger Bank Operations and Maintenance Base wins Net Zero and Sustainability Constructing Excellence in the North-East awards

20th June 2023 in Operations, Press releases, Project news, Supply Chain

O&M Base Collaboration Area

The Dogger Bank Wind Farm Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Base has been awarded the Net Zero and Sustainability awards in the 2023 Constructing Excellence in the North-East (CENE) awards.

CENE is a business support organisation for the North-East construction, dedicated to delivering improved industry performance in order to achieve a better built environment. CENE are committed to working with industry, its customers, and the government to make change happen and deliver prosperity.

The awards are testament to the design of the Dogger Bank O&M base, which has been constructed in line with the UK Green Building Council’s (UKGBC) Net Zero Carbon Buildings Framework to meet the highest energy efficiency standards. 383 Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels have been installed for renewable energy generation, along with 20 electric vehicle charging points for staff and visitors. Less visible signs include the timber framework for the office buildings, the recycled steel structure for the warehouse and the highly efficient heating and cooling system.

In the United Kingdom, the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) provides an industry-acknowledged framework for determining the Net Zero Carbon (NZC) performance of the built environment, both during construction and operational stages. This framework incorporates two strands, one for NZC construction and one for NZC operations, both of which apply to the base.

The awards are shared with Ryder Architecture, headquartered in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, were responsible for the building’s design, Fairhurst who provided the civil and structural design, Bowmer & Kirkland who were responsible for construction of the base and CBRE who provided overall project management alongside Equinor.

Accepting the award on behalf of Dogger Bank Wind Farm, Prepare for Operations Manager Andrew Saunders said:

“We are proud to have won the Net Zero and Sustainability awards for the Dogger Bank Operations and Maintenance Base. The design of the building was focused not only on its functionality to operate the world’s largest wind farm, but also on its sustainable credentials, and it is thrilling that the industry has recognised the work we have done.”

The CENE Awards took place on Friday 16th June at The Grand Hotel in Gosforth Park, with the Dogger Bank O&M base having been shortlisted in the Net Zero, Building Project of the Year, and Sustainability categories. As winners of the Constructing Excellence in the North-East Awards, Dogger Bank will go forward to the National Constructing Excellence Awards later in the year and is hopeful for further recognition for the South Tyneside-located O&M base.

Dogger Bank Wind Farm is a joint venture between SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Vårgrønn (20%). SSE Renewables is lead operator for the development and construction of Dogger Bank Wind Farm. Equinor will be lead operator of the wind farm on completion for its expected operational life of around 35 years.