Vessel Aeolus arrives at Port of Tyne
The vessel Aeolus has arrived at the Port of Tyne. From there it will carry out the foundation installation works on the Sofia project.
- 02 May 2024
Vessel Aeolus arrives at Port of Tyne
Exciting news from the North East this week, as the vessel Aeolus arrived in the Port of Tyne on Wednesday morning.
It arrived in misty conditions, sailing down the River Tyne and berthing at the port.
The Aeolus will be operated by international marine contractor Van Oord, to deliver the foundation installation work on the RWE Sofia Offshore Wind Farm. Its arrival brings us one step closer to the start of that milestone.
Sofia is a flagship development in RWE’s global and UK offshore portfolio.
RWE is delighted to be working once again with Van Oord, who will also commence array cable installation later this year. This follows successful collaboration on projects like Rampion, Humber Gateway and the London Array.
The foundation installation will be delivered from the Port of Tyne, leveraging upgraded facilities designed to support this campaign. The array cable installation will be delivered from the Port of Blyth.
Through projects like Sofia, RWE is helping build an industry that produces sustainable power at best cost to the consumer, while delivering economic growth.
The chief executive of the Port of Tyne, Matt Beeton, sees a strong future for the offshore sector in the North East: “The arrival of the vessel Aeolus at the Port of Tyne signals not only the beginning of offshore installation for the Sofia Offshore Wind Farm, but also a new era of collaboration in the renewable energy sector. With our upgraded facilities, the Port of Tyne is poised to support this ambitious project and others of its kind, reaffirming our commitment to sustainable development and playing a vital role in the transition to clean energy. We’re excited to be part of such a significand endeavour that aligns with our mission to create a greener future for generations to come.”
The Aeolus will spend the rest of the calendar year installing the foundations within the wind farm array itself. When that stage begins, it will mark a major milestone for the project. For now, the vessel and crew will make the necessary preparations for their first rotation.
You can see our other videos on the Sofia video gallery.
