Ørsted has signed a construction contract with Taiwanese supplier partner Woen-Jinn for Greater Changhua projects’ array cable installation.
The contract includes the provision to allow Woen-Jinn (WJ) to invest in a newbuild cable-laying vessel, which should enable them to become a competitive offshore wind cable installation supplier throughout Asia in the future.
The contract with a value of NT$ 1 billion ($32.5 million) requires WJ to install a significant scope of array cables and will secure substantial work for the projects to be constructed in 2021.
Matthias Bausenwein, Ørsted’s general manager for Asia Pacific, said: “Developing a local supplier in Taiwan requires significant resources and efforts from all aspects, such as commercial, technical, QHSE standards, and even financial support. Ørsted Taiwan feels proud to partner with WJ and has gone extra miles in taking the collaboration to the next level.”
Ørsted has set up a dedicated team of 5 full-time and 5 part-time specialists to work and exchange knowledge with WJ in developing all required standards and competences for this project.
During the past two years, Ørsted has visited WJ regularly and invested significant time and effort in cultivating WJ’s capabilities to become the only qualified offshore cable installation supplier in Taiwan. Since working with Ørsted, Woen-Jinn has hired an additional 20 staff and is planning further recruitment of staff to help deliver the array cable contract. Woen-Jinn has also indicated that, as a local cable installation company, WJ will take the responsibility to promote local talent as well as strengthen the development of local industry chain.
To attract and train more young talent for the offshore wind industry, WJ has signed a memorandum of understanding with National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology and is said to be in the discussion on academic collaboration with National Taiwan Ocean University and National Cheng Kung University. WJ will provide full scholarships to students interested in marine engineering as well as internship opportunities from 2022 onwards.
Bausenwein added, “We believe that this collaboration will not only bring more opportunities to Woen-Jinn in Taiwan, but it will also support our partner to become a competitive offshore wind cable installation supplier in Asia. We look forward to supporting more Taiwanese companies to develop competence and capability in offshore wind. “