ABL will provide independent marine warranty survey services for Ostwind 4, a German offshore grid connection built to carry up to 2 gigawatts of Baltic Sea wind power to the mainland. The project will be the first in the German Baltic Sea to use high voltage direct current transmission.
Project scope
Ostwind 4 is the fourth project in the Ostwind offshore grid programme, which connects wind generation in the German Baltic Sea to the onshore power network. The link is designed for a targeted transmission capacity of up to 2 GW and includes an offshore converter platform, an onshore converter station, and a 110-kilometer subsea and onshore cable route. HVDC systems convert electricity to direct current for transmission over long distances, which cuts losses compared with alternating current on long cable runs. As the first HVDC project in the German Baltic Sea, Ostwind 4 introduces new technical and marine assurance considerations for the offshore installation and cable-lay work.
ABL's role
ABL's German team, based in Hamburg, will deliver marine warranty survey services covering the marine transport and installation of the subsea cables and offshore infrastructure, along with installation of the converter platform and associated assets. The scope includes review and approval of technical documentation and procedures, marine risk and assurance assessment of the proposed marine spread, and on-site attendance to witness and approve warranted operations. ABL said it will work with 50Hertz on risk mitigation and delivery of the transmission link.
ABL has operated in Germany for close to a decade, building a track record in independent analysis and on-site marine assurance on offshore wind and transmission projects. "We look forward to applying this experience on Ostwind 4," said Tilo Klappenbach, ABL Germany's country manager. ABL is part of Oslo-listed Aqualis ASA, a group of technical consultancies serving the energy and oceans sectors.
