Conquering the Sea: Building an Offshore Wind Farm in the Challenging Taiwan Strait

Offshore wind is playing a pivotal role in driving the transition towards a greener future by harnessing the strong and consistent winds at sea. Together, Taylor Hopkinson and Brunel connect renewables specialists to pioneering projects worldwide. We had the opportunity to interview Chris, one of our specialists who is actively engaged in the installation of the Changfang & Xidao wind farm, situated approximately 11 kilometres off the coast of Changhua County in central Taiwan. Chris shared valuable insights into his career in offshore wind and provided a glimpse into his unique life aboard a vessel.

Ahoy, Chris! With your extensive background in the offshore wind industry, how did you become involved in this captivating field? 

Initially, I operated large tower cranes commonly seen in cities for about 15 years. As a result of my extensive lifting experience, I was then approached and offered a position as a lifting supervisor. I dedicated another six years to this role, further honing my expertise. Following my tenure as a lifting supervisor, I was promoted to the position of lift planner. It was during this period that I embarked on my first offshore renewables project abroad, in Denmark. This project involved managing all significant onshore cranes responsible for loading components onto vessels. Subsequently, a German company hired me and assigned me to serving as a deck superintendent for their inaugural offshore project in 2012. This role involved overseeing and managing operations and personnel within the vessel's deck department. With time, I swiftly ascended to the position of client representative, and I’ve been thoroughly enjoying doing this over the past 11 years. 

Your professional trajectory, transitioning from crane operator to client representative, is quite remarkable. Could you outline your role and its responsibilities?

As a client representative, my role entails representing the client or owner's interests throughout the various phases of an offshore wind project, including construction, installation and operation. I serve as a crucial link between the offshore site and the onshore offices, ensuring effective communication and reporting. My primary responsibility is to oversee all work conducted on the vessel, ensuring strict adherence to the client's requirements, quality standards and contractual agreements. Additionally, safety is a paramount concern in this industry, given the inherent risks involved. Therefore, I maintain a vigilant eye on safety matters, considering the presence of heavy machinery and the lifting of massive loads weighing up to several thousand tons.

In early 2022, you joined our global network of specialists to contribute to the construction of the Changfang & Xidao project.

Yes, that's correct. The Changfang and Xidao wind farm is an ambitious project consisting of 62 wind turbines: 57 on Changfang and 5 on Xidao. Once completed, it will have a capacity of 589 MW, capable of powering around 650,000 households. This project is not only substantial in scale but also noteworthy because it has encountered minimal challenges in erecting turbines in the Taiwan Strait. Unlike other projects that experienced delays due to soft soil on the seabed during installation phases, we have successfully overcome these challenges, allowing us to progress swiftly. In fact, our current pace is exceptional. We have just managed to install twelve jackets in only eight days, which is unbelievable!

Chris took this picture aboard his vessel. "Offshore life isn't for everyone," he tells us, "but for me, I enjoy every day of it."