Japanese construction company Shimizu Corporation announced on October 13 that it has completed the assembly of 14 wind turbines with an output of 8MW each for the Ishikari Bay New Port Offshore Wind Power Project in Hokkaido Prefecture, which will be the largest of its kind in Japan when completed. The world's most powerful 2,500-ton main crane on the company's self-elevating platform (SEP) vessel was in full operation. Despite the stormy weather, the installation of each wind turbine component, which requires an accuracy of a few millimeters, was completed within the designated construction period.

The site is located on a 500-hectare area about 1,600 meters off the coast of Ishikari Bay New Port in Ishikari City and Otaru City. The power generation facility consists of 14 8MW wind turbines and 15.5 km of 66 kV submarine cable. The power generation capacity will be 112 megawatts (approximately 99 megawatts of connected capacity).

The company established a huge work yard of approximately 100,000 square meters at Ishikari Bay New Port, and began receiving components such as wind turbine towers, nacelles, and blades in March. Prior to the offshore installation, 14 wind turbine components were temporarily stored at the yard, and the assembly of the towers and the wiring inside the towers were carried out on land.

The SEP ship "Blue Wind" arrived at Ishikari Bay New Port in early July. It was loaded with components for two wind turbines at a time, and after seven trips to the port, 14 wind turbines were assembled. Going forward, the company aims to become a leader in the offshore wind power plant construction market and win orders in Japan and overseas by offering proposals based on its experience and expertise in the offshore construction of giant wind turbines. (2023/10/16)