CSBC Corp, Taiwan (台灣國際造船) yesterday said it has signed a deal to supply steel tubular structures for the construction of 20 of Sing Da Marine Structure Corp’s (興達海洋基礎) transition pieces used in jacket foundations for offshore wind developer Orsted Taiwan Ltd’s (沃旭能源) project off the coast of Changhua County.
Transition pieces, which are situated between the submarine jacket foundation and the wind turbine tower section, are essential elements in holding together wind turbines.
It is not the first time that CSBC has worked with Sing Da, a wholly owned subsidiary of China Steel Corp (CSC, 中鋼). CSBC and CSC are under the supervision of the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
The two companies last year collaborated in the construction of steel tubular structures for two transition pieces to be used in the first phase of Orsted’s offshore 1 and 2a wind farms in Changhua.
CSBC said that it is the nation’s first supplier of steel structures for transition pieces, with the first batch scheduled to be shipped next month,
Seeking to firmly establish itself as a local supplier for Taiwan’s offshore wind energy industry, CSBC said that it has invested in equipment and set up a wharf to facilitate shipments of the heavy construction materials used in wind farms.
The company has also expanded its production capacity for steel structures, with a second plant expected to be completed by July, it said, adding that it is providing training for in-house welders.
CSBC’s expanded production capacity would mean that 24 transition pieces could be completed per year, while shipments for the second batch of steel structures are scheduled for May next year, the Central News Agency reported.
With two 5,000 horsepower tugboats and three barges, CSBC aims to become a one-stop service for the production, shipment and installation of steel structures for the offshore wind industry, the company said.
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