RWE and TotalEnergies have selected the port of Den Helder in the Dutch province of North Holland as the home base for OranjeWind, their joint offshore wind project in the North Sea. Blue Port Centre, the former fish auction building, will serve as the onshore hub for the operation and maintenance teams of the wind farm. To this end, the project has signed a lease agreement with the co-operative association Blue Port Centre, the owner of the building.
As the Netherlands' largest electricity producer, RWE is preparing for the construction of the wind farm, located approximately 80 kilometres from the port of Den Helder in the North Sea, in close collaboration with joint venture partner TotalEnergies.
Matthias Esken, OranjeWind Project Director: "The multifunctionality of the Blue Port Centre and its quay-side location makes it a perfect fit for our operations and maintenance of our Dutch North Sea wind project. The proximity and accessibility of Den Helder port and airport provide an efficient logistical solution for reaching our wind farm, enhancing our operational flexibility."
With a capacity of 795 megawatts (MW), OranjeWind is RWE and TotalEnergies' first offshore wind project in the Netherlands. On behalf of the joint venture, RWE is leading on the development, construction and operation of the wind farm. In October, both companies also agreed to jointly develop two large offshore wind projects, off the German coast. Separately, each company also has multiple offshore wind projects under construction and in operation in the British and German North Sea, with RWE also constructing the Thor wind farm in Danish waters. TotalEnergies has a strong advantage in offshore wind thanks to the skills and long experience of its teams operating offshore exploration and production assets, as for instance in the Netherlands.
Kees Turnhout, General Director of Port of Den Helder: "Port of Den Helder welcomes the OranjeWind team to our port for the operation and maintenance of the offshore wind project. Our Port is a specialised O&M port for the offshore sector, with a fully equipped supply chain for this purpose. Together with Den Helder Airport, we extend two strong logistical arms over the North Sea, both by water and by air. In the coming years, we are committed to facilitating the maintenance of wind farms and other forms of sustainable energy production. Between now and 2030, we will double the number of berths in our port. The establishment of the OranjeWind O&M base is a significant development in this strategy!"
Pim Visser, Director of the Blue Port Centre: "It is fantastic that the OranjeWind team has also chosen our Blue Port Centre. Our former fish auction building, still owned by regional fishermen, will get a new purpose after a significant renovation. The building will be nearly energy neutral' with super-insulated walls and roofs, solar panels, heating with heat pumps, and top cooling based on the temperature of the groundwater. Located on the deep-water quay, it is perfectly suited as a base for the maintenance of offshore wind farms. With the arrival of OranjeWind, two-thirds of the building is occupied."
In 2026, the OranjeWind project will start using the Blue Port Centre to support the construction phase of the wind farm. The Blue Port Centre will house offices, changing rooms, and storage facilities. The operation and maintenance activities of the wind farm will be conducted using a Service Operation Vessel (SOV), which will transport technicians between the port and the wind farm, with the crew staying at sea for weeks at a time.
When fully commissioned in early 2028, OranjeWind's 53 wind turbines will produce an expected 3 terawatt-hours (TWh) annually - enough green electricity to power more than one million Dutch households.
For more information about the OranjeWind project go to www.oranjewind.com.
