ORLEN set to start construction of installation terminal in Świnoujście
The ORLEN Group has selected a contractor for the onshore part of the installation terminal, which will support offshore wind farms. Construction will begin in October and will be completed in late 2024 or early 2025. Once completed, the terminal will facilitate the installation of more than 80 offshore wind turbines per year. It will be equipped to handle the Baltic Power project as well as other planned wind ventures.
ORLEN Neptun is responsible for the land-based part of the installation terminal, which will be constructed in the Świnoujście port on a site covering almost 20 hectares. Its primary function will involve the handling and storage of essential components for offshore wind turbines, including towers, blades, and nacelles. The terminal will also be able to receive offshore substation topsides weighing up to 24,000 tonnes. The project will also encompass the construction of communication infrastructure as well as new workshop, administration and office buildings. The project in Świnoujście will enjoy convenient accessibility through various modes of transport, including rail, ferry, air, and road connections. Furthermore, the inland location will ensure favourable weather conditions for both the construction and operation phases. The terminal will eventually be staffed by approximately one hundred employees. The project’s contractor is Budimex.
‘The construction of the first offshore wind farms in any country demands thorough and highly advanced preparations. Installation infrastructure stands as a crucial element within this process. Once operational, the terminal located in the Świnoujście port will be Poland’s first and one of Europe’s most advanced facilities dedicated to supporting offshore wind projects. The selection of the terminal's contractor marks another significant milestone in the timetable for the project, which already acquired a conditional investment decision in August,’ said Daniel Obajtek, CEO and President of the ORLEN Management Board.
The hydrotechnical aspect of the project falls under the purview of Zarząd Morskich Portów Szczecin i Świnoujście, which will soon choose a contractor for the construction of two new wharves. Also, the waterway section from the Mieleńska turning basin to the new terminal will undergo deepening.
The new wharves will boast technical specifications surpassing the standard port conditions, primarily in regards to permissible live load. This will facilitate the initial installation of wind turbine towers exceeding 100 meters in height, each weighing approximately 1,000 tonnes. With a length of approximately 250 metres each, the wharves will accommodate the operations of the largest available specialised jack-up vessels designed for installing turbines of 15 MW and larger. The wharves will also be capable of accommodating heavy lift vessels exceeding 200 meters in length, which are utilised for transporting wind farms components.
The initial purpose of the terminal is to facilitate the assembly of components for the Baltic Power offshore wind farm, the most advanced project in the Polish section of the Baltic Sea. Subsequently, the terminal will serve various other projects as well.
‘All these activities are in line with the objectives of ORLEN Group's strategy, which envisages that the company will have about 9 GW of renewable energy capacity in the next few years. We intend to carry out offshore investments both on the Odra Shoal, at the level of Kołobrzeg, and on the Słupsk Shoal,’ said Robert Nowicki, CEO of ORLEN Neptun.
Importantly, in the future, due to its very good location, the Świnoujście port will serve not only Polish projects, but also ventures undertaken in German, Swedish or Danish waters.
