Jan De Nul has named its new offshore installation jack-up vessel Taillevent at a ceremony in the Belgian port of Ostend.
Inspiration for the name Taillevent comes from a historical French chef, who was nicknamed for his agility when working in a kitchen at a young age.
Taillevent translates as “cutting the wind”. Guillaume Tirel – "Taillevent" – went to work as a kitchen aid at the court of Queen Jeanne d’Evreux.
Pauline Stassijns, granddaughter of director Dirk De Nul, baptised the vessel, joined by the De Nul family, employees and guests.
Guests included Bart Tommelein, Flemish vice minister-president of the Flemish government and Flemish minister for budget, finances and energy.
“The offshore sector is important for our Belgian economy. Thousands of jobs derive directly or indirectly from the construction and maintenance of offshore wind turbines. Not only in our country, but also worldwide. I am happy to welcome the Taillevent of Jan De Nul Group as a new asset in our switch to renewable energy,” said Tommelein.
On 18 July, Jan De Nul Group acquired the vessel, which was built in 2011, from the Dutch company Vroon Group.
Taillevent is designed specifically for the transport and installation of offshore wind turbines and foundations, but is versatile enough for deployment in the offshore oil and gas sector.
The vessel is 140 metres long and can operate in waters up to 40 metres deep. It has six legs equipped with spud cans.
In addition, the vessel has an on-board crane with a lifting capacity of 1,000 tonnes and an auxiliary crane of 50 tonnes.
The acquisition of Taillevent is part of Jan De Nul’s investment in its offshore activities.
Jan De Nul Group offshore director Philippe Hutse said: “We have been investing a lot in staff, expertise and equipment for our offshore activities. In 2015, we acquired the Vole au vent, and this summer the Taillevent; both specialised vessels for the installation of offshore wind farms. Meanwhile our newbuilding department works on more fleet expansion plans. These investments are key for Jan De Nul Group’s growth.”
Jan De Nul has executed several offshore wind projects in Belgium, the UK Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Germany. The company is also working on Taiwan’s first offshore wind farm projects, Changhua and Formosa 1 Phase 2.
Jan De Nul Group manager for offshore renewables Peter De Pooter said: “The Taillevent is complementary to our Vole au vent and will enable us to further develop and expand our offshore wind expertise. Having two offshore installation vessels in our fleet, we can serve the industry better and respond more quickly to needs.”
“We already executed a number of comprehensive wind projects in Europe and look ahead with confidence and enthusiasm,” he added.
Source:renews
