Offshore Construction Start

Offshore construction for Samsung Heavy Industries’ 7MW prototype offshore wind turbine at Fife Energy Park in Methil, Scotland, commenced in January 2013, marking the start of the physical build for what was then described as one of the world’s largest offshore turbines. GRAHAM was appointed as the principal contractor to construct and install the turbine, with a project value of £13.1 million and an overall programme running from January to December 2013. The brief covered delivery of an offshore 7MW prototype turbine capable of powering 4,800 homes, with a nacelle height of 110 metres and a tip height of 196 metres above mean sea level, as part of Samsung’s initial £100 million investment in the Fife Energy Park and its European wind energy headquarters. From the outset of 2013, the construction programme focused on marine works and offshore installation activities at the project site. Core elements included the installation of a steel jacket foundation socketed 37 metres into rock beneath the seabed, followed by placement of the 500‑tonne jacket, 500‑tonne transition piece, and turbine components using a DEMAG CC12600 crawler crane. Specialist contractor FoundOcean was engaged by GRAHAM to pile grout the jacket foundation, with grouting of the piles and jacket annuli scheduled to take place in July 2013, further underlining that offshore foundation works were well underway during the 2013 construction season.