Wind Energy Special - Den Helder Airport

Wind Energy Special
Den Helder: Opportunities
for expansion
Over the years, thanks to an almost unbeatable
combination of a port with direct access to the sea
and a regional airport, Den Helder has succeeded
in transforming itself into a leading international
a short-stay facility here. And for companies that
are active in areas other than aviation, the nearby
Kooypunt business estate offers more than enough
accommodation opportunities. This estate will be
made construction-ready very shortly.”
service centre for the offshore oil and gas industry.
And, because there are still more than enough
opportunities for new development, Den Helder
also intends to take on an important role for the
offshore wind power sector. An interview with
Conny van den Hoff, managing director of Den
Helder Airport, and Piet-Hein Kolff, CEO of Port
of Den Helder.
“Our strength lies in the fact that the Port of Den
Helder and Den Helder Airport can collaborate to
offer a complete logistics package”, says Conny
van den Hoff. “Incidentally, this is something we
have already done for many years for the offshore
oil and gas industry.” Piet-Hein Kolff adds: “Our
contacts in the wind power sector now tell us that
Den Helder is very favourably located between the
wind farms that have been built off the Danish and
English coasts.” Conny van den Hoff continues:
“The five helicopter operators that fly from Den
Helder Airport have both the capability and are
receptive to contracts for transferring personnel
from and to the wind farms that are located further
away from the shore.” Den Helder Airport also
offers facilities for scheduled or charter flights for
flying in spare parts and/or passengers.
Thirty
companies
that
together
provide
employment for 500 people have set up in
business at the airport. In 2014, the number of flight
movements increased to 22,850; further growth
to 27,000 is certainly possible. Last year, 147,046
passengers passed through the gates at Den Helder
Airport. “There is still space available for aviationrelated companies that want to establish a business
at Den Helder Airport. Maintenance companies
for example, but setting up a spare parts centre is
also a realistic possibility. We also plan to create
New locations
According to the seaport director, much more
space will be made available for new developments
in the future. “People sometimes say that the port
area is already fully occupied, but the opposite is
true. At the moment, a number of business estates
are under development, including a business estate
along the banks of the Noordhollandskanaal, this
channel connects directly to the port, and a further
business estate offering 300 metres of quay space
in the seaport itself.
In addition, we are still talking to the Royal
Netherlands Navy to determine whether more
space can be made available for civilian companies
in the naval port based on co-use of harbour and
quay facilities. All in all, we are perfectly capable of
providing locations and facilities in the near future
for companies that are active in the offshore wind
power industry .”
Complete supply chain
More than 100 companies work in the oil and
gas industry in the region around Den Helder.
A number of these companies have already
branched out into the wind power sector. These
range from companies that make products,
provide services and offer training to research
institutes. “As is the case in the oil and gas sector,
we can offer a complete supply chain”, says
Piet-Hein Kolff. Conny van den Hoff adds: “We are
very eager to show the wind power sector that
there is still more than adequate space available
in the Den Helder region for new developments
and that the companies and institutions that are
already located here have a great deal to offer.”
Please visit www.denhelderairport.nl and
www.portofdenhelder.eu
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Wind Energy Special
Den Helder wants to move
fast forward
A number of new port facilities and business estates in Den Helder
are due to become available to both the offshore oil and gas
industry and offshore wind power sector in the near future. This is
students. Our city has acquired centuries of experience in the area
of maritime maintenance and we are now going to extend this to
include other areas. To sum up; we have everything available in
Den Helder, in both breadth and depth.”
confirmed by the city’s Alderman of Economic Affairs, Pieter Kos,
who sees port development and urban regeneration as strategic
priorities in municipal policy.
According to the Alderman, the coastal deep water port with the
adjoining business estates and the airport are redoubtable trump
cards that strengthen Den Helder’s unique position as a harbour
city. “So it’s pleasing to see that both the Port of Den Helder
and Den Helder Airport collaborate closely and jointly present
themselves at exhibitions such as EWEA Offshore in Copenhagen
and Offshore Energy in Amsterdam. I expect a great deal of work
from the offshore wind power sector in future years. In anticipation
of that development, we have to demonstrate that Den Helder is
already prepared and champing at the bit, and that we can act
quickly and decisively in areas where we are not yet completely
ready.” While Pieter Kos finds the combination of the sea port and
airport rather special, he also feels Den Helder to be unique in
many other ways. “There is a great diversity of businesses in Den
Helder, which, just as they do for the offshore oil and gas industry,
jointly offer a complete supply chain for the offshore wind power
sector. Everything which requires a logistics process is available.
Including all of the mandatory safety training courses for workers
who build and maintain wind farms. In addition, MCN in Den Helder
recently started to offer a Wind Power Minor for technical college
Harbour development
“In addition to urban regeneration, the municipal administration
has a strong focus on harbour development”, Pieter Kos
continues, “and we would like to up the pace here as well. We will
start work on constructing business estates in the harbour area of
Den Helder in the very near future. Complete with approximately
300 metres of new quay space. Furthermore, the existing quay
will be extended. All of these new developments mean that space
for supply companies is required in the area behind the port.
The Municipal Executive decided to make a firm commitment
to this in January of this year. A business estate to the south of
Den Helder will be developed first as part of this initiative. And
space is also still available on the southern side of Den Helder
Airport. The municipality of Den Helder will shortly make a
decision about the construction of a business estate along the
banks of the main channel for harbour-related activities. All in all
a challenging task, but because we want to up the pace, we must
continue to focus on these issues.” He also sees opportunities
for strengthening the civilian and military collaboration in
Den Helder. A number of actions to achieve this have already
been taken in recent months. “In my opinion, Den Helder is an
ideal spot for companies to set up in business and I am very
pleased that the Port of Den Helder and Den Helder Airport are
prepared to support and publicise this so widely.”
Alderman Pieter Kos confirms that Den Helder continues to
focus on further development of its seaport and airport.
(Photo: Peter van Aalst)
Wind Energy Special
The Welink system being demonstrated in the operator room in Den Helder. (Photo: ATO)
Asset management with Welink
How can you reduce the costs of a wind turbine park
which collects and processes all of the information
so that it can be operated profitably. Welink, which
about the wind turbine park to produce statistics
stands for Wind Energy Link, provides the answer to
that serve as the basis for responsible management -
this question. A specially developed computer program
a process that professionals refer to as ‘asset management’.
Logistics services provider Peterson Den Helder, ATO
Sustainable Business Engineers and Asset Management
Control Tools & Training are the initiating companies behind
the development of Welink. Director and founder of ATO,
Hans Bais, tells us more: “Welink is based on a research
project that we carried out previously. This was Dutch
Offshore Wind Energy Services, an innovative ICT system
for managing and maintaining wind turbine parks in onshore
and offshore environments to which knowledge institute
TNO and ECN (Energy research Centre of the Netherlands)
also contributed at the time. This project was completed
successfully a number of years ago and has now been taken
as the basis for this new development. In addition to all of
the costs of a wind turbine park, all of the documentation,
the basic configuration and all changes can also be entered
in the program. It even offers a facility where service
providers can enter their reports. This makes it possible
to generate statistics, plan maintenance and even arrange
communication with the stakeholders. The final result is
Welink, an innovative information system.”
Operator room
In December 2013, the development of Welink had reached
a sufficiently advanced stage for the three partners to launch
it officially. “During the period since the launch, we have
discovered that condition-based maintenance works best
for maintenance operations because the item of production
equipment, in other words the asset, is the central focus. The
term asset management is obviously very appropriate when
you take this as your starting point. ISO 55.000, the asset
management standard which was introduced in April 2014,
provides a basic description of how to handle your item of
production equipment during its complete life cycle. Our
system reflects this. We have set up a typical operator
room in the ATO Synergy Centre to demonstrate the use
of Welink for wind turbine parks in both offshore and
onshore environments. We still use a simulation program to
demonstrate the program’s use for an offshore park, but we
do actually use a real park now to demonstrate the onshore
park situation.” Hans Bais has no complaints about the level
of interest in the new system. “We are talking to various
interested parties, both national and foreign. They include
park owners, maintenance companies and other service
providers.”
More information can be found on
www.windenergylink.com
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4
Wind Energy Special
Students taking the minor wind power industry (Photo: MCN)
MCN full speed ahead
Very soon after the Maritime Campus Netherlands (MCN) in
Den Helder opened its doors, the KIA (Knowledge and Innovation
Agenda) report entitled ‘Wind at Sea, investing in a sustainable
future’ was published in collaboration with the various MCN
participants. Part of this report was devoted to plans for setting
up a knowledge platform and developing a formal education
offering in the area of offshore wind power. And according to
Marja Doedens, the director of MCN, those plans have now
been realized.
MCN, which is a collaborative venture involving research institutes,
schools and universities, businesses and government bodies, was
set up approximately 5 years ago. Its objective is to sustainably
increase and strengthen the economic infrastructure in the
North-Holland-North area of the Netherlands. The activities it
initiates to achieve this objective include setting up, developing
and guaranteeing the continuity of an internationally authoritative
marine, maritime and environment technology cluster in and
based out of Den Helder. MCN immediately attracted strong
interest when it published the ‘Wind at Sea, investing in the future’
report. Marja Doedens: “The key theme in the report was the focus
on creating 10,000 new jobs in the Netherlands. We wanted to
show everybody how that could be achieved. We also drew up a
list of things that we wanted to accomplish in connection with that
report. That list included setting up the Wind at Sea Knowledge
Centre, developing a demand-driven educational offering in the
area of offshore wind power, facilitating networking events and
mechanisms in relation to ‘Wind at Sea’ and supporting innovative
projects in this field.”
Education projects
One of the activities of MCN during that period was the
development of a graduate course in Offshore Wind Power in
collaboration with NHL Hogeschool Leeuwarden, creating a
professorship in Wind Power and offering a technical Wind Power
Minor. “All of which has been achieved”, Marja Doedens continues.
“The first technical college student has now graduated here in Den
Helder and received his bachelor degree in Offshore Wind Power.
The first Minor course focusing on the technical specialisms in the
wind power industry started as a pilot project in September 2014.
Ten students are taking this course. The interesting thing about
this initiative is that it is a pilot project within a pilot project. This
is because five of the students, who originate from the provinces
of North-Holland and Friesland, are participating in the Minor as
part of a Dutch Employment Office employee retraining scheme
that is designed to open up employment opportunities in the wind
power sector. The Dutch Employment Office, the UWV, arranges
supplemental vocational training in the Netherlands for employees
who have previously been made redundant in a different sector.
In addition, we are working together with various other Dutch
schools and universities to develop wind power courses at the
level of secondary vocational education (MBO).”
Courses are regularly organised via the Wind Power Professorship
together with MCN in Den Helder. Marja Doedens comments
as follows on this subject: “Last year, we were able to arrange a
two-day introductory Offshore Wind Power course here on three
occasions. There is still a great deal of interest in that course. In
addition, we arranged the Corrosion and Protection in the Offshore
Wind Power Industry Course, to which Endures also contributes, on
two occasions. In view of the positive reactions received from the
students, we can say that this course is a great success.”
A completely different project is the support for setting up the
Test Centre for Drive Train Dynamics & Control at the Technical
Campus in Den Helder. This Laboratory is not only for school pupils
and students; it is also available to other interested parties such as
businesses. In addition, MCN also supports and facilitates applied
research projects. For example, the report entitled ‘Combining
offshore wind energy and large-scale mussel farming: background
& technical, ecological and economic considerations’, which was
published recently. Various MCN partners collaborated to complete
this project, which, in view of the high level of interest from the wind
power industry and other parties, is likely to lead to further research.
Information event
Finally, MCN will organise the ‘Careers at Sea’ information event
in Den Helder for the second time. This event is a venue where
young people and their parents can learn more about professions
in the offshore power and maritime technology sectors and obtain
information on the courses that are offered in these areas. More than
thirty companies and institutions participated in the previous edition.
They have spectacularly shown how enjoyable it is to work in the
aforementioned sectors and how many jobs and career possibilities
are available here. The first edition attracted 3000 visitors.
For more information, please refer to www.maritimecampus.nl
Wind Energy Special
DHTC recently put a new helicopter simulator into service for the Helicopter
Underwater Escape Training Course. (Photo: DHTC/Peter van Aalst)
Safety training courses for
the wind power sector
Of the more than 100 companies in the Den Helder region
ago, is one of these companies. Wessel Schinkel, who holds
that provide services for the oil and gas industry, a number
the position of account manager at DHTC, informs us that
are now also active in the wind power sector. Well-known
the company now offers a comprehensive range of safety
safety training institute DHTC, which started to develop the
training courses for personnel involved in constructing and
first training courses for this sector more than fifteen years
maintaining offshore wind farms.
The training institute, located a stone’s throw away from
Den Helder Airport, has organised safety training courses
for the offshore oil and gas industry, the shipping sector, fire
brigades and Company Emergency Response personnel for
more than thirty years. Distributed across its three training
locations in Den Helder, the institute offers unique facilities
that allow safety training courses to be organised in an
extremely realistic manner. “At the end of the 1990s, we
set up our first Offshore Wind Energy Basic Safety (OWEBS)
course in response to requests from various wind turbine
constructors”, says Wessel Schinkel. “From that time on,
DHTC has continued to develop this training course in close
collaboration with the market and organises it on several
occasions each year for personnel involved in constructing
and maintaining offshore wind farms. This course lasts for
two days. The training can be extended to include a twoday Basic Tower Climber Course. We offer the latter course
in collaboration with the Netherlands-based Ascent Safety
knowledge and training centre.”
A one-day training course was added to the package in
2013. “This is the Supplemental Offshore Wind Survival &
Transfer Training Course, which focuses on the specific
risks that arise during boat landings and when evacuating
personnel from offshore wind turbines. This training course
can be attended by persons who already possess a valid
NOGEPA 0.5A, NOGEPA 0.5B or Basic Safety Training
STCW’10 certificate.” DHTC’s training courses are offered in
both Dutch and English.
DHTC offers the Helicopter Underwater Escape Training
(HUET) course; a one-day course that is also mandatory in
the offshore oil and gas industry. “We recently purchased
a brand-new helicopter simulator for this course”, Wessel
Schinkel continues. “However, we have noticed a great deal
of interest in our helicopter firefighting course recently,
particularly from the wind power sector. This interest
primarily relates to people who are stationed on the large
transformer platforms (HVDC stations) in offshore wind
farms. These platforms are equipped with a helicopter
deck in order to fly personnel in and out. Like the HUET
course, this is a NOGEPA-certified training course.”
Recently, DHTC provided a five-day training course in
collaboration with Ascent Safety for ten students studying
for a Minor Offshore Wind higher vocational education
qualification in Den Helder. “This group had visited us
previously for an introductory day on offshore safety.
On this occasion, they came back to us for the two-day
Basic Tower Climber Course, the two-day Offshore Wind
Energy Basic Safety course and the one-day Helicopter
Underwater Escape Training course.”
In addition to DHTC, numerous other companies are also
active in the wind power sector in the Den Helder region.
“Just as we do for the offshore oil and gas industry, we
can also offer the offshore wind power sector a complete
package of services and training courses. A great
deal of knowledge and experience is available in this
region, particularly in the area of logistics across water and
in the air”.
Strength in numbers
For people who fly in helicopters to offshore wind farms,
For more information, please visit www.dhtc.nl
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6
Wind Energy Special
Siemens sees opportunities
for Den Helder
Den Helder has the opportunity of playing a significant role in
maintaining the wind farms that are due to be constructed in the
sea off the West coast of the Netherlands. David Molenaar, the
Country Division Lead of the Wind Power Division of Siemens
Nederland gives us the details.
The Siemens representative announced this after a recent visit
to Den Helder Airport and Port of Den Helder. Den Helder also
wants to play a prominent role in the offshore wind power
sector. According to David Molenaar, this will definitely open up
opportunities in the medium term. “Den Helder Airport specialises
in transporting personnel and cargo to and from oil and gas
platforms in the North Sea and also has an excellent HSE track
record. So I expect that the airport will play a significant role in
maintaining the wind farms that are due to be constructed in the
sea off the West coast of the Netherlands after 2019. In addition,
Den Helder Airport can offer its services and share its knowledge
and experience in order to help us achieve the targeted 40% cost
reduction for offshore wind.”
Work on constructing the Gemini Wind Park recently started at a
distance of approximately 85 km above the northern coastline of
the Netherlands. This farm will ultimately offer a capacity of 600
MW, delivered by 150 4 MW wind turbine units. The wind farm
will start to supply power as early as 2016 and is scheduled to be
fully operational in 2017. In answer to the question of whether
Den Helder can play a role in constructing or maintaining the
Gemini Wind Park, David Molenaar answers: “There are no plans
for this at the moment as Eemshaven is our chosen location. We
have already started the preparations for the development of a
helicopter landing pad at Eemshaven.”
However, it is possible that use will be made of helicopters owned
by the helicopter operators based at Den Helder Airport.
For all information about Siemens, please visit www.siemens.com
Photos: Siemens press photo
Wind Energy Special
The Offshore Waddenzee is one the
Damen Fast Crew Suppliers that was
recently completed and fitted out in Den
Helder. (Photo: PAS Publicaties)
Chain of supply companies
in Den Helder
In addition to its key role as a logistics centre for the offshore
oil and gas industry, the region of Den Helder is also home to
numerous companies and institutes that are active in the offshore
wind power sector. These include Damen Shipyards Den Helder,
which has delivered a fleet of modern Fast Crew Suppliers, and
Vroon Offshore Services, which deploys diving support vessels
for offshore wind turbine farm construction projects.
Damen Shipyards Den Helder attracted a great deal of attention
when it completed four Damen Fast Crew Supplier 2008 highspeed aluminium catamarans in 2014. This 20 metre long and
8 metre wide vessel is a smaller version of the Damen Fast Crew
Supplier 2610, which was launched by Damen Groep in 2011 and of
which some 30 units have now been delivered. Ships that are used
to rapidly transport people and equipment to offshore wind farms.
A slightly smaller version, the Damen Fast Crew Supplier 2008, was
developed in response to demand from the sector. In order to deliver
quickly, Damen simultaneously subcontracted the construction of
four hulls to specialist shipyards in Den Oever and Franeker. Final
outfitting of the four vessels was carried out at Damen Shipyards
in Den Helder. Two of the vessels are now in active service. The
Susie S for Windwave Workboats based in Penzance (UK) and the
Offshore Waddenzee for Offshore Wind Services, which operates
out of Rotterdam. Both can transport 12 passengers and a cargo of
8 tonnes and achieve a speed of 25 knots.
Shipping companies
Den Helder is also home to numerous shipping companies, which,
in addition to activities for the offshore oil and gas industry, are also
very active in the wind power sector. One of these is Vroon Offshore
Services, which operates several diving support vessels that are
primarily used during the construction of wind turbine farms. Such
as the VOS Satisfaction, VOS Shine, VOS Sweet and VOS Sympathy,
which carry out diving and survey work in Dutch, German, Danish
and English waters.
In addition, Acta Marine provides all kinds of support services via its
fleet of smaller workboats, including laying cables and seabed survey
work. With a primary focus on shallow water. A further shipping
company, GloMar Shipmanagement, launched the Glomar Wave
just before the turn of the year. This wind farm accommodation
vessel of more than 66 metres in length offers living space for 60
people and can be used for both wind turbine construction and
maintenance projects.
Other companies
In addition to shipyards and shipping companies, Den Helder is also
home to other businesses and institutes that are closely involved
in the activities of the offshore wind power sector. For example,
DHTC offers a complete package of safety training courses and
Bluestream scours the sea for explosives from the First World War
and Second World War and disarms them. And then there is Peterson
Den Helder, which participates in the Welink project alongside its
main activities as a shipping agent and logistics service provider.
In addition, five helicopter operators fly out of Den Helder Airport.
These companies possess all of the knowledge and experience that
is required for transporting personnel and equipment to and from
offshore wind farms by helicopter. Maritime Campus Netherlands
has set up the National Wind at Sea Knowledge Centre in Den Helder
and also focuses intensely on education projects in the area of wind
power. On top of all this, research institutes such as ECN, IMARES
and TNO carry out all kinds of research in this area. To sum up:
Den Helder has a great deal to offer the offshore wind power sector.
7
SWEDEN
DENMARK
GERMANY
UNITED KINGDOM
THE NETHERLANDS
BELGIUM
DEN HELDER
COLOPHON
Reproducing of parts of the content is
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The content has been compiled
at information. No rights can be
drawn upon the content in fact.
Port of Den Helder
Den Helder Airport
PO Box 4058
1780 HB Den Helder
The Netherlands
Telephone: +31 (0) 223 61 84 81
www.portofdenhelder.eu
[email protected]
Luchthavenweg 10A
1786 PP Den Helder
The Netherlands
Telephone: +31 (0)223 63 56 66
www.denhelderairport.nl
[email protected]
Editor
PAS Publicaties
Postbus 47
1760 AA Anna Paulowna
The Netherlands
Editorial staff
Paul Schaap
Conny van den Hoff
Debbie IJlstra
Yvonne Rouwhorst
Production
PAS Publicaties, Anna Paulowna
The Netherlands
Creator / Print
Burghout Design & Druk, Hippolytushoef
The Netherlands