The global offshore wind power capacity currently stands at 64.3 gigawatts (GW), with the United Kingdom contributing 22%, making it the second-largest contributor after China (49%).

Sarens was tasked by the Port of Wergeland in Norway to replace the bearings in the five floating wind turbines by the end of September 2024. Once the replacements are completed, all units will be reconnected to the Hywind Scotland site.

Hywind Scotland, the world’s first floating wind farm, is a 30 MW pilot park operated by Hywind (Scotland) Limited. It is currently undergoing maintenance, with its five turbines being serviced and repaired. Hywind Scotland provides enough power to supply around 35,000 homes in the UK.

Located 25 kilometres offshore from Peterhead in Aberdeenshire, Hywind Scotland consists of five Siemens Gamesa 6 MW turbines mounted on SPAR-type foundations. This year, the turbines are undergoing maintenance at the Wergeland Base on Norway's west coast before being reconnected.

Sarens, the global leader in heavy lifting, engineered transport, and crane rental services, has been commissioned by the Port of Wergeland in Gulen, Norway, to replace the bearings in the five floating wind turbines. Sarens' responsibilities include providing cranes to lift the nacelles and blades from the turbines, transporting these components, and delivering a skidding system to move the generator in and out of the workshop.

Sarens deployed a variety of advanced equipment for this project, including the LR12500-1.0 crane with a tagline system. The project posed significant challenges in terms of delivery and setup, requiring precise timing and coordination. The crane featured an HDWB2 configuration with a 90-meter main boom and a 66-meter luffing jib, and it played a pivotal role in the project. The crane was equipped with four tagline winches to ensure safe and efficient lifting operations. Specialized SPMTs were used for transporting blades and nacelles. Additionally, a custom-designed lightweight spacer beam was used to facilitate the transport of the 75-meter-long, 26.5-ton blades.

This Liebherr LR 12500-1.0 crane was first used in Rostock, where it lifted monopiles for assembly in the Baltic Eagle's offshore wind farm. It was the first unit of this model delivered by the German manufacturer Liebherr.

Sarens has extensive international experience in the assembly and maintenance of wind farms. It has participated in various installations in France, including Fécamp, Saint Nazaire, and Provence Grand Large, as well as in lifting and transport work for the foundation bases of the new offshore wind farm in Saint Brieuc, located off the Brittany coast. During this project, Sarens successfully transported loads weighing over 1,150 tons. More recently, Sarens has been actively involved in the reception and loading operations of monopiles and transition pieces for 176 turbines for the Coastal Virginia Offshore wind farm and the marshalling and installation of 62 monopiles in the Moray West offshore wind farm, each weighing up to 2000T, the largest and heaviest XXL monopiles ever handled in the UK.