Newton Aycliffe cable protection specialist Tekmar Energy has marked a major milestone after its cutting-edge TekTube system was installed for the first time on an offshore project.
TekTube was successfully installed on Westermeerwind near-shore wind farm in the Netherlands.
Tekmar supplied cable installation contractor, VBMS, with 92 of its systems to protect the cables into the 48 wind turbine foundations for the Siemens’ EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) project which is located along the dikes of the Noordoostpolder.
In close cooperation with VBMS, Tekmar developed the TekTube’s pre-installation method whereby the cable protection systems were fitted ahead of the cable installation, which saved time on the cable installation vessel and improved the efficiency of the overall operation.
Installation work ran more quickly than initially expected with up to six systems put in place within each 12-hour window for work.
Tekmar boss James Ritchie (pictured above) said: “Delivering TekTube for the first time makes Westermeerwind a particularly momentous project and one which saw us work with VBMS for the 16th time.
“TekTube was designed as a result of our ongoing investment into researching and developing next generation cable protection systems that continue to help drive down costs, improve offshore installation rates and ensure cable integrity for the service life which is typically 25 years.”
Tekmar was awarded the Westermeerwind contract by VBMS just months after the company demonstrated TekTube at the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult’s (ORE Catapult) National Renewable Energy Centre in Blyth, Northumberland.
TekTube was also the first new patented product that was produced at Tekmar’s new manufacturing facility in the north-east of England.
With more than 30 years’ experience, Tekmar is a market leader in the design, manufacture and supply of subsea cables, umbilicals and flexible protection systems for the renewable energy and oil & gas industry. The company is headquartered in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.
