Up to now, the port of Rotterdam, the largest seaport in Europe, has played a negligible role in the construction of offshore wind farms in Europe. But that is about to change. On Maasvlakte 2, Sif Group and Verbrugge International are building a dedicated offshore terminal and a production site for monopiles under the name Offshore Terminal Rotterdam.
A unique combination that will play an important role in the construction of offshore wind farms in the North Sea and elsewhere.
“With a further increase in scale, not only in wind turbines and parts, but also in the necessary equipment, such as larger ships, greater draught and heavier cargoes, ports must be able to keep up with this growth,” says Joost Eenhuizen, business manager Offshore at the Port of Rotterdam Authority. “Rotterdam is able to do this and is well positioned in relation to large sections of the as yet undeveloped offshore wind areas.”
The arrival of Sif means that the market leader in foundations for offshore wind in the North Sea will be coming to Rotterdam.
The company has 65 years of experience in the production of steel tubes. Initially, Sif began by producing pressure vessels for the process industry, but since the 1980s the company has been active as a supplier for the offshore industry.
Up to now, Rotterdam has not been known as a port for the offshore wind industry, but with the completion of Maasvlakte 2, the 1,000-hectare addition to the port of Rotterdam, new sites on deep water have become available in Rotterdam.
The Port of Rotterdam Authority’s original plans did not make provisions for the offshore industry too, but the port sees the construction of offshore wind farms as a growth market and, in time, their dismantling too.