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The Moray West offshore wind farm is a significant project contributing to the global energy transition and Net Zero carbon emissions goals. is leading the development, leveraging their extensive experience and assets in offshore wind energy. Moray West is principally owned by Ocean Winds, with a minority stake held by UAB Ignitis renewables The project consist in 60 wind turbines each with a generating capacity of 14.7 megawatts (MW) i.e. generating capacity of 882 MW.

Ocean Winds (OW) is an international company dedicated to offshore wind energy and created as a 50-50 joint venture, owned by EDP Renewables and ENGIE. Based on the belief that offshore wind energy is an essential part of the global energy transition, OW develop, finance, build and operate offshore wind farm projects all around the world.

When EDPR and ENGIE combined their offshore wind assets and project pipeline to create OW in 2019, the company had a total of 1.5 GW under construction and 4.0 GW under development. OW has been adding rapidly to that portfolio and is now on a trajectory to reach the 2025 target of 5 to 7 GW of projects in operation, or construction, and 5 to 10 GW under advanced development. Currently, OW鈥檚 offshore wind gross capacity already operating, in construction or with advanced development rights granted has reached around 18 GW.

Offshore wind farm construction faces several challenges, with the most significant being the high demand for experienced companies and individuals within the sector. In the past, companies could choose from a range of suitable contractors and fabricators, but the recent surge in demand has led to a limited selection of options. This limitation makes it difficult for companies to find the most commercially suitable or best quality contractors, and there is often only one viable option to meet their requirements. This lack of choice means companies have to manage and balance resources on a daily basis to get the job done, which is a significant challenge for both the fabrication and installation sides of the industry.

One of the consequences of the limited selection of contractors and fabricators is that companies must take on significant risks. Furthermore, the limited availability of installation vessels further complicates the construction process, creating further challenges for offshore wind farm construction.

The role of technological innovation in the offshore industry

The offshore wind farm industry is undergoing a digitalisation transformation that is allowing for larger and more efficient wind turbines. Technological advancements, coupled with industry knowledge and experience, have led to the development of larger-diameter monopiles, which were previously deemed impossible to design. For example, monopiles with a diameter of 10 meters were considered enormous just a few years ago, whereas factories are now being built to accommodate monopiles with a diameter of 15 meters. This trend towards larger structures has enabled the industry to deliver more power with fewer locations, thus reducing installation costs.

However, the smaller margins of error and increased risk associated with the utilisation of structures at 95-96% capacity means that quality control is more critical than ever before. There is little to no room for defects, and extra caution is required during every stage of the design and installation process. This fact puts extreme importance on quality inspections.

Moray West offshore wind farm places a strong emphasis on maintaining the utmost level of quality for their project during the fabrication phase. To achieve this goal, they have established a comprehensive set of quality requirements and a rigorous inspection regime. Their foundations fabrication package includes a staggering 350 inspection points, highlighting their dedication to ensuring that every aspect of the project meets their high standards.

During the fabrication phase of its projects, Moray West has implemented the use of LB Aproplan to streamline the inspection process and ensure high-quality standards. Standardisation of this process was crucial to minimise defects and maximise efficiency. LB Aproplan offers a single platform that allows inspectors to execute inspections, create points, upload photos, and generate reports with ease.

Before fabrication begins, LB Aproplan is set up to allocate assets and locations. During the fabrication phase, all inspections are conducted using LB Aproplan, according to the Inspection Test Plans (ITP’s) that were established for the project. Inspectors use the app on their mobile devices to create inspection points with photograph attachments, enabling the detection and prompt resolution of any defects. This approach ensures that all relevant aspects of the project are thoroughly inspected and meet the established quality standards. Finally, LB Aproplan generates and shares inspection reports with all relevant stakeholders, ensuring that everyone is up to date on the progress during the fabrication process.

A single place to monitor fabrication progress around the world

To ensure smooth coordination and effective communication across the various fabrication sites for the Moray West project located in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. This platform has enabled the company to monitor and centralise all fabrication quality inspections, providing greater visibility and control over their manufacturing operations.

With LB Aproplan, Moray West can easily manage project timelines, track material deliveries, and identify and resolve issues before they become significant problems. The platform also facilitates communication between different teams and stakeholders on Moray West, ensuring that everyone has access to the latest information about the fabrication process. Additionally, by consolidating all data in one application, Moray West can maintain ownership of their data, giving them greater control over their information and a more secure platform for sharing it with partners and clients.

More than saving time: a safeguard against claims

With traditional on-site management methods, a lot of time is spent on finding scattered information in Excel, WhatsApp, Teams, and email, which is a repetitive and time-consuming task. However, with LB Aproplan, Moray West鈥檚 inspectors working on the project are now able to easily access all the necessary information in one place, saving them a significant amount of time. LB Aproplan has made it easier for them to compile and sign reports on-site, which has helped them make more efficient use of the time they are paying for, ultimately improving their productivity.

Moreover, LB Aproplan has proven to be highly beneficial in facing potential legal disputes. The platform enables users to easily retrieve information and photographic evidence to support their case, as demonstrated by a real-life example where they had to settle a claim made by a contractor. LB Aproplan helped them gather evidence to refute the claim and ultimately settle the dispute for a fraction of the amount initially claimed. This incident highlights the importance of having a reliable system in place to keep track of project information, especially when dealing with legal disputes.

Simplifying essential documentation management for offshore construction

LB Aproplan successfully addresses the challenges of efficient record-keeping and photo management. In the offshore wind industry, it is crucial to maintain accurate records and photographic documentation for inspections, financial close, and reporting purposes. However, managing and categorising photographs and records can be a time-consuming and challenging task, especially when working on large-scale projects. Traditionally, quality inspectors would have to go through the tedious process of uploading each picture to their computer, and then precisely placing and categorising each file, to make it easily accessible later.

LB Aproplan streamlines the process by providing a centralised platform for record keeping and photo management. Inspectors now upload and categorise photographs from their mobile devices, and the platform allows for efficient record searching and filtering. By eliminating the need for manual categorisation and storage, LB Aproplan saves time and improves the accuracy and accessibility of project documentation, making it a valuable tool for offshore wind construction project management.