Orsted welcomes Wind of Hope to Grimsby as he prepares for operations Hornsea Three

Offshore wind giant Ørsted has welcomed the arrival of its latest service operations vessel in Grimsby.

Wind of Hope is joining the fleet and will soon welcome the technicians who will maintain the Hornsea Two offshore wind farm.

The 84-meter vessel has cabins for 30 crew members and 60 technicians, and is equipped with the latest motion compensation technology. It allows technicians to “walk to work” along an electronically controlled gangway that forms a bridge between the vessel and the turbine – like those employed on Race Bank and Hornsea One.

Read more:Humber’s Huge Offshore Wind Boost As TWO New Manufacturing Developments Create Over 500 Jobs

Grimsby is leading the way in offshore wind operation and maintenance, serving a concentrated group of panels, and Ørsted bosses say the next 10 years will provide huge new growth in jobs and investment for the city.

The arrival of the new Turkish-built vessel, which cost “tens of millions of pounds”, marks a new era in wind turbine maintenance, with workers remaining on the ground for fifteen days at a time.

Darren Ramshaw, Head of UK East Coast Operations at Ørsted, said: “It is a very exciting time to be part of the UK offshore wind industry. By the end of this year we will have invested over £ 13 billion in the construction of offshore wind farms in the UK.

“The new state-of-the-art vessel, the Wind of Hope, is a great addition to the east coast where it joins the fleet with the Passat and Mistral. “

Built by French company Louis Dreyfus Armateurs, Wind of Hope had its christening ceremony last month before its trip to the UK.

Morten Holm, Site Manager for Hornsea Two, said: “SOVs are an integral part of the safety and health of our colleagues at work. On board the Wind of Hope is a modern gym, cinema room, hospital and accommodation for 90 people. We have chefs on board who keep our wind turbine technicians energized and healthy, including pancakes on Saturdays! “

Hornsea Two program director Patrick Harnett said there would be “exponential” growth in the industry in the years to come.

He explained that construction is nearing completion and will include 165 8 MW turbines, capable of producing enough electricity for 1.4 million homes.

When fully commissioned in 2022, the Hornsea Two farm will be the largest in the world, edging out Hornsea One. Plans are also underway for Hornsea Three and Hornsea Four.

Ørsted graduate Lianne Margriet Klaver, who has been a big part of the project team, explained that the new ship is a “ship-tel” with first-class accommodation, a helipad and a hospital.

Staff work on two week and two week off shifts and enjoy luxurious en suite facilities. She said every effort has been made to ensure staff do not feel “locked in”.

COO Paul Hazell said: “The Winds of Hope is a real step forward. Contact with the turbine is controlled from the deck and we are more energy efficient. “

He explained how Ørsted announced 23 new roles last year and was overwhelmed by 1,262 applicants.

He said more than 80% live within an hour’s drive of Grimsby, pointing to the economic boost provided by the long-term element of the industry.

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He said: “We have a huge future in Grimsby. We are going to hire more technicians and our aspiration is to have a Hornsea Three and Four.”

He looks after Nick Aram, an experienced technician and new recruit Graeme Duffy, 24, who is excited about his first upcoming visit to a turbine farm.

“I am delighted to get to work,” he said.

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