| Work Detail |
Work finishes on Phase 2 expansion of flagship Chinese monopile manufacturing plant China’s CNOOD-Wenchong Heavy Industries (CWHI) has completed the construction of its flagship Qinzhou Yard. The site in Guangxi, China, is one of the world’s largest manufacturing facilities for XXXL monopiles in operation today. CWHI is celebrating the completion of the Phase 2 expansion project at the yard, where monopiles for Scotland’s 1.1GW Inch Cape offshore wind project are being fabricated. The new facility has an annual production capacity of 100 XXXL monopiles, each with a maximum diameter of 15 metres and a weight of up to 4,500 tons. This capacity is supported by eight advanced offshore wind power XXXL monopile foundation production lines, housed within one of the largest steel structure workshops in China. A key feature of the Phase 2 expansion is the addition of a second structural workshop, measuring 400 metres in length, 54 metres in width, and standing 34 metres tall. The facility now spans a total area of 600,000 square metres and includes a 307-metre-long, 13-metre-deep quayside capable of accommodating vessels up to 100,000 tons. Additionally, several dedicated full-length blasting and painting workshops were introduced during the Phase 2 development, where monopiles are coated and stored before loading. CWHI has also installed 7,500 solar panels to generate 4MW of clean energy across its two production halls, covering 20% of the facility’s total electricity consumption. The yard’s remaining energy needs will be met through a long-term agreement to procure 26MWh of green electricity from a combination of photovoltaic sources and a local offshore wind farm. CWHI’s chief development officer Dale Young said: We are delighted to have reached this important milestone as we announce the completion of Phase 2. “Fabrication of the world’s largest and heaviest monopiles, for the Inch Cape project in the UK, is now underway at Qinzhou Yard, demonstrating our ability to execute complex projects with precision and efficiency. “Our state-of-the-art facilities, skilled workforce, and extensive experience enable us to meet the growing demands of the offshore wind sector while maintaining the highest industry standards. “As a trusted fabrication partner, we remain dedicated to supporting the global transition to sustainable energy through innovation, reliability, and excellence in execution.” CWHI’s scope of work on Inch Cape involves the fabrication, commissioning and shipping of 32 monopiles to the Port of Leith in Scotland. The project’s monopiles will host Vestas’ 15MW turbines. |
