CRIST Offshore will build offshore substation for BC-Wind project
Ocean Winds, a global offshore wind energy company, has signed an agreement with CRIST Offshore Sp. z o.o. for the design, construction, and commissioning of an offshore electrical substation for the BC-Wind project. On Monday, March 31, representatives of both companies signed the agreement at the CRIST shipyard in Gdynia.
The offshore electrical substation will be built at the shipyard in Gdynia by the Polish company, which not only strengthens the local supply chain but also contributes to the development of national competencies in the offshore sector and creates new jobs in the Polish shipbuilding and energy industries – as emphasized during the ceremony.
This is the first agreement of its kind signed with a Polish supplier within the so-called TIER 1, which is an important step in the development of the domestic offshore wind sector. The collaboration confirms the readiness of Polish companies to implement technologically advanced projects in the field of renewable energy sources.
The offshore electrical substation (OSS), which will be built by CRIST Offshore at the shipyard in Gdynia, is currently in the design phase. It will be equipped with all the basic electrical equipment needed for the project and will weigh approximately 2,000 tons. The completion of the OSS construction is planned for mid-2027 and will provide employment for over 400 specialists.
“The signing of this agreement is an important step confirming the competence and readiness of CRIST Offshore to implement projects in the demanding offshore wind energy market. It is also an important moment for the entire Polish offshore wind energy sector, which is increasingly making its presence felt on the international stage. Cooperation on this project shows that Polish companies are able to effectively compete with global leaders and play a key role in the development of renewable energy sources,” says Dan Finch – Country Manager for Poland, Ocean Winds.
“This is a breakthrough moment for the Polish offshore industry and proof that Polish companies and the Polish supply chain are ready to deliver key elements of offshore wind farms and compete in other European markets. I hope that our cooperation will result in future contracts for CRIST Offshore, also outside the Polish market,” said Kacper Kostrzewa, BC-Wind Project Director at Ocean Winds.
As emphasized by Bogusz Pniewski, board member of CRIST Offshore, the cooperation with Ocean Winds is the culmination of consistent work that the shipyard has been doing for over a dozen years, manufacturing structures for the offshore market.
“Today, we are ready to implement such a project from start to finish. This proves that we have acquired the appropriate competencies and know-how that allow us to undertake comprehensive activities – from the design phase to the delivery of the finished product. We are pleased that we can set a new standard in the offshore wind sector, contributing to the development of local content, and thus to the Polish economy and the country’s energy transformation,” said Bogusz Pniewski.
Senator Stanisław Gawłowski spoke about the potential of the Tri-City area in the offshore field.
“The Baltic Sea is potentially our great opportunity, and the Tri-City area can be the capital of not only Polish but also Baltic offshore. There are two universities operating in the Tri-City – the University of Gdańsk and the Maritime University of Gdynia, which have competencies in seabed research. This is also where the competencies in building components for offshore wind farms are located,” said Senator Gawłowski.
Offshore electrical substations play a key role in the infrastructure of offshore wind farms. It is to these substations that energy generated by turbines at sea is delivered, from where it is converted and transmitted onshore. As part of the project, the energy produced by the turbines will be transported via an internal cable network to the station in the Baltic Sea, and then exported via an underwater cable to the onshore station in the Choczewo municipality.
BC-Wind is an offshore wind farm project located approximately 23 km north of the shore, off the coast of the Krokowa and Choczewo municipalities in the Pomeranian Voivodeship. The project assumes achieving a planned capacity of 390 MW, with a total farm area of 90.94 km². This will provide electricity for approximately 488 thousand households annually.
Source: PortalMorski.pl
