In the port of Rostock, the first of a total of 72 monopoly foundations for the offshore wind farm “Kriegers Flak”, which is currently under construction, were loaded. The wind farm, located south of the Danish coast, will supply up to 600,000 households with electricity in the future and will thus become Denmark’s largest offshore wind farm. The manufacturer of the monopiles is the offshore wind specialist EEW Special Pipe Constructions GmbH, also based in Rostock.
The loading of the monopile foundation piles from the quayside into the water was handled by Liebherr’s heavy-duty gantry crane type TCC 78000, inaugurated in 2019. For direct loading into the water, the otherwise hollow piles, which are open at both ends, must be sealed watertight in advance with specially constructed sealing caps, so-called plugs. The sealing condition thus created enables the monopile foundation piles, which are over 65 metres long and weigh up to 800 tonnes, to float. The plug installation is carried out on an area of almost 9000 m2 on the Liebherr company premises.
The TCC 78000 offers a maximum lifting capacity of 1,600 tonnes and is used at Liebherr for internal logistics processes in the production, assembly and dispatch of maritime cranes. With the TCC 78000, Liebherr also offers external companies the possibility of carrying out heavy-duty loading in the Rostock overseas port.
“We are pleased to be able to take over the first external loading order of the TCC 78000 for the renowned company EEW Special Pipe Constructions GmbH from the direct neighbourhood in the Rostock overseas port. Thanks to constructive cooperation and a thorough preparation phase, the monopile shipments are proceeding according to plan. The fact that we are now also contributing a part to the largest Danish offshore wind farm makes us a little proud,” comments Gregor Levold, General Manager Shipping and Heavy Lift Handling at Liebherr in Rostock,
Germany.
After loading into the water, a deep-sea tugboat transports the monopile foundations towards the “Kriegers Flak” wind farm, which is located about 15 kilometres off the Danish coast.
