Seajacks Clinches Japanese Offshore Wind Farm Gig

UK-based firm Seajacks, an offshore wind power installation specialist, has signed a foundation installation contract with Kajima Corporation for an offshore wind farm project at Akita Port and Noshiro Port in Akita Prefecture, northern Japan.

The project is expected to be the first bottom-fixed large-scale offshore wind power project in Japan funded 100% on a commercial basis.

This is the first contract in Japan for Seajacks which will start offshore construction work on a large wind installation vessel called Zaratan in Japan in 2021, Marubeni (MARUF), one of Seajacks' parent companies has informed.

Seajacks is owned by Marubeni, INCJ, and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd., through Seajacks Japan.

Related: Japanese Offshore Wind Fans Bank Interest

Marubeni and its partners in February signed a project finance agreement with banks to build and operate the offshore wind farms in Akita Port and Noshiro Port.

The 100 billion yen ($921 million) plan to build the wind farms is expected to be Japan's first large-scale commercial offshore wind power project.

The wind turbines for the projects will be delivered by MHI Vestas Offshore Wind, a Danish wind turbine maker. This is the company's first firm order in Japan.

The electricity produced will be sold to Tohoku Electric Power Co. for 20 years under a power purchase agreement based on the feed-in tariff program. Commercial operations at the wind farm development are expected to start in 2022