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21st to 23rd of May 2024
21st, 22nd & 23th
MAY 2024

- CONFIRMED DATES -

Susana de Sarriá: «No shipyard in the world arrived where we in offshore wind»

The French Ailes Marines SAS chooses Navantia and Windar to manufacture all the jackets of its future park

The French company Ailes Marines SAS - 70% owned by Iberdrola - yesterday chose the port of Brest to announce the giant jump that the Spanish Navantia and Windar Renovables give together in the offshore wind market. Both will supply the 62 foundations of Saint Brieuc park, which will occupy 78 square kilometers in waters of French Brittany and will have 496 megawatts of power. In the act in which the award was announced were the CEO of Windar, Orlando Alonso; and the president of the Spanish public shipyards, Susana de Sarriá. The French park will be the third commission made by Iberdrola to both firms, although the first one in which they will take full care of all the foundations, since in the previous ones - the German Wikinger and the British East Anglia One - shared the manufacturing with others Companies. Therefore, the contract for the 62 jackets is the most important that they have achieved so far in the offshore wind market, in which they entered only five years ago. In addition, the order includes a part of local content, so that stabbings, lower nodes and the lattice structure for 34 jackets will be made in Brest, although the integration of all subsets will be done completely in Fene.

- Iberdrola awards for the first time a manufacturing contract for jackets exclusively to Navantia and Windar. What does it mean for the public company?

- This award will be the most important contract signed by Navantia-Windar in this market, both for the number of jackets, and for being, for the first time, sole suppliers. And that has been possible thanks to the recognized prestige of the professionals of both companies and their suppliers, which has positioned us in the first international line in the offshore wind sector. It is reason to feel proud of.

- It is the third order the electric company made them. Which strengths do you think you have in this market?

- This third Iberdrola commission, after Wikinger and East Anglia, is an unequivocal sign of confidence in the Navantia-Windar experience. And that fidelity responds to the quality of our work and compliance with the established deadlines.

- This assignment is unique because, as in shipbuilding, it will imply to lead abroad. In this case in France. What are you going to do in Brest?

- It is a new challenge for Navantia to provide such a project with local content. It is planned that parts corresponding to 34 jackets are manufactured in Brest. They will be made in collaboration with companies in the area and then sent to Spain for integration and delivery in Fene.

- What are the contract dates? When will the jackets begin to be manufactured in Fene?

- It is estimated that the contract will be signed in February 2020 and that manufacturing work will begin next summer.

- Navantia has orders in the wind sector to manufacture both floating and fixed components. How do you rate the positioning achieved worldwide?

- To this day, Navantia and Windar have participated in offshore wind programs of all types. We are pioneers in floating structures, being the only ones that have participated in the three existing projects. No other shipyard in the world has arrived where we are.

- Will they share the “jackets” made in Spain with the Puerto Real shipyard or will they be manufactured exclusively in Ferrol’s Bay?

- This contract entails a very important workload until 2022, for Windar in Aviles and especially for Ferrol’s Bay, where all units will be manufactured, integrated and delivered.

- What are the perspectives you handle in the offshore wind market? Do you see a ceiling or aspire to new orders?

- We are currently participating in various proposals for Scotland, Germany, the Netherlands and France. Additionally, the creation of industrial fabric in Brest also allows us to undertake future offshore wind projects in this country.

(Source: La Voz de Galicia)