Marine and engineering consultancy ABL has been appointed by French transmission system operator RTE to provide marine warranty survey services for the grid connection of the 600MW A03 Dunkirk offshore wind project, the company announced Thursday.
The project, located more than 10 kilometres off the coast of northern France, will consist of up to 46 wind turbines installed in water depths of up to 30 metres. ABL’s French team will oversee marine operations related to the transportation and installation of the offshore substation and two 16-kilometre subsea export cables.
ABL’s scope includes technical reviews and approvals of marine engineering documentation, suitability assessments of the vessel fleet, and on-site attendance to certify and witness key activities during installation.
The company will supervise the deployment of the 2,200-tonne jacket foundation and piles for the substation, as well as the 3,250-tonne topside. Cable pull-in, laying, and protection operations are also part of the assignment.
Fabien Thomas, country manager for ABL in France, said: “The A03 Dunkirk offshore wind farm is projected to produce enough clean energy to power nearly one million households. We have a proud history of supporting the grid infrastructure development of France’s first offshore wind projects and in collaborating with RTE. We look forward to continuing that important work on Dunkirk.”
ABL’s Paris office will lead the project, drawing on the company’s broader experience in France’s offshore wind sector. Active in the country since 2015, ABL has contributed to more than ten wind developments, including Saint-Nazaire, Fécamp, and Saint-Brieuc.
ABL is part of Oslo-listed ABL Group ASA, a global energy and marine consultancy.
