The first eight monopile foundations for RWE's 1GW Thor offshore wind project have arrived at Eemshaven port in the Netherlands. Each monopile, weighing up to 1,500 tons, has been unloaded and securely stored at the base port.
The terminal operator, part of Hamburg-based Buss Ports, is responsible for providing storage space, equipment, and personnel, as well as managing port logistics. In total, 72 foundations are scheduled to be transported from the Dutch heavy-duty terminal in Eemshaven to the construction site, located 22 kilometers off the west coast of Jutland in the Danish North Sea, by spring 2025.
Thomas Michel, COO of RWE Offshore Wind, noted, “The arrival of the first foundations at the base port marks an important milestone in the implementation of our Thor project – Denmark's largest offshore wind farm to date. The construction of offshore wind farms requires huge storage areas and a special port infrastructure to handle the heavy components. Such port capacities are becoming increasingly difficult to find. We are therefore pleased that we were able to secure the Buss Terminal. The infrastructure in Eemshaven is ideal, as we were able to see for ourselves during the construction of our Kaskasi offshore wind farm.”
Marc Wegman, Managing Director of Buss Terminal Eemshaven, expressed pride in collaborating with RWE on this major offshore wind project. He emphasized that, “Our qualified employees will ensure a smooth and safe handling process at our state-of-the-art terminal in Eemshaven, where safety is always the top priority.”
Installation of the wind turbines is slated to occur from the Danish port of Esbjerg starting in 2026, with the port of Thorsminde designated as the base for ongoing operation and maintenance of the wind farm. Construction of a new RWE service building in Thorsminde is set to commence this year, aiming to create 50 to 60 local jobs. The Thor project is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2027 at the latest.
