Polar Prince to Work on UK Wind Farms

24 April 2009

Aberdeen-based offshore installation group Subocean has confirmed a hire deal for the Polar Prince construction ship which is to work on the new Greater Gabbard wind farm being developed off the UK's east coast.

Subocean says it is spending £30 m to hire the construction ship for a two-year charter with options for a further three years, starting in July this year.

Once on hire, the vessel will allow Subocean to work on the 140 wind turbine Greater Gabbard project, off the UK coast in Suffolk where it will operate complete with survey and ROV equipment spreads.

Fluor and Scottish and Southern Energy have hired Subocean to install offshore power cables for the Greater Gabbard project and the company will be using its own cable laying and cable plough to install and bury the 33 kVA lines in a water depth of 20 m (65 ft).

Also the Polar Prince will be working for Subocean on the Thanet wind farm further south in the Southern North Sea off the coast of Kent where the vessel will be engaged on a further cable lay and burying programme for the Vattenfall development.

“Demand for vessels in marine renewables remains high. By securing the Polar Prince on a long-term charter, we are in a prime position to meet the needs of renewable energy companies,” said Subocean operations director Mike Daniels.

Oslo-based ship management group GC Rieber Shipping said earlier this week that a contract for the Polar Prince had been extended by client Technocean which would be using the vessel through Subocean.