(SALZBURG, Austria) — Palfinger has officially been commissioned to deliver 33 fixed-boom cranes for Japan’s first large-scale commercial offshore wind farm project. With the deliveries beginning in autumn 2020, Palfinger further expands its market share in Asia-Pacific. Along with the Akita Noshiro wind farms, the cranes will commence operations in 2023.
It was the favorable wind conditions in Japan’s northern region Tohoku that laid the foundations for the first large-scale commercial wind power project: the Akita and Noshiro offshore wind farms. This spring, Palfinger signed a major crane supplier agreement with the wind farm construction company Kajima Corp./Taiko Trading. All 33 wind turbine platforms will be equipped with Palfinger’s PF8000 fixed-boom cranes with an outreach of 2.4 meters and a safe-working-load (SWL) of 1 ton. The first cranes will already be delivered this autumn. Commissioning will be coordinated by the Palfinger Asia Pacific wind service hub.
The Akita Noshiro offshore wind farm project comprises two wind farms extending across 730 hectares. Both will be located in the Akita Prefecture coastal zone – one at Akita port, the other at Noshiro port. The commercial operations are scheduled to begin in 2022/2023. With a capacity of 139 MW, the Akita Noshiro offshore wind farms are expected to supply electrical power to nearly 130,000 homes.
“We feel very honored to be part of this project – it truly is a milestone in the Japanese offshore wind industry. Our colleagues from Palfinger Japan played an invaluable role in winning this project, we owe them a great deal of gratitude. Now, we have gained a stronger foothold in this region and discovered even more potential for future projects there," said Iavor Markov, contract and tender manager for Palfinger’s marine and wind cranes.
For more information, visit www.palfingermarine.com.
