Pipes weighing over 200 tons for offshore wind farms Bałtyk 2 and Bałtyk 3 transported to Poland

Four HDPE pipes, each 1.5 km long and weighing more than 200 tons, were safely transported by sea from Norway to Poland and pulled ashore near Mrzeżyno. They will be used for drilling purposes for the Bałtyk 2 and Bałtyk 3 projects developed by Equinor and Polenergia. They will include export cables that will allow the power generated by offshore wind farms to be brought to land.

The transport of pipes began in Norway – near the town of Stathelle, from where a single main tug transported two pipes at a time. On site, near Mrzeżyno, the operation of bringing the pipes to the shore was particularly demanding. Three smaller tugboats took part in the activities, which stabilized the pipes near the shoreline, three cranes working from the beach, responsible for pulling the pipes to land, as well as WOPR teams on land and at sea, which took care of safety, access control and protection of the pipes against excessive deflection and damage. The whole operation lasted three days.

Źródło/Source: MAG Offshore

The logistics of the entire project required close coordination and full commitment of the operational teams on land and at sea. From the beginning of the investment, the safety of people and environmental protection have been a priority. On site, the pipes were properly secured – their ends were tightly closed, big bags and stabilizing weights were used, and the entire area is constantly monitored by technical teams and law enforcement.

Then the pipes will be transported to the area of the so-called landfall, to the starting points of HDD drilling. The drilling will allow to run a power cable and bring the power generated by the Bałtyk 2 and Bałtyk 3 offshore wind farms to land. The work will be carried out underground, using a method that is safe for the environment and surroundings.

The Bałtyk 2 and Bałtyk 3 offshore wind farms built by Equinor and Polenergia, with a total capacity of 1440 MW, will be able to supply clean renewable energy to over 2 million households in Poland. The first energy is to flow from them in 2027, and the commercial stage of their use will begin in 2028.