HD Hyundai Heavy Industries selected as EPC contractor for Korean floating windfarm

The Gray Whale project is being developed by BadaEnergy, Corio Generation, TotalEnergies and SK Eco Plant. Selection of HD Hyundai Engineering as project EPC contractor follows selection of a consortium formed by the company and Doris Engineering for front end engineering design.  The contract awarded to the consortium covered the foundations for the project, moorings and inter-array cables.

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries is working with wind turbine OEM Vestas to optimize the design of the foundations and integrate the wind turbines into the foundation. Vestas is to supply a total of 33 V236-15.0 MW turbines for the first phase of the project.

Also known as the Ulsan floating offshore wind project, Gray Whale is due to be developed in three phases, Gray Whale 1, 2 and 3. When completed, the three phases of the project will have a combined capacity of 1.5 GW. Gray Whale 3, for which HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has been selected as preferred EPC contractor, is expected to be the first to be developed.

Construction is due to begin in stages by 2025, with the goal of commercial operation commencing in 2028.

The consortium said that, having selected HD Hyundai Engineering as preferred EPC contractor, it will proceed with a localization strategy for all of the phases of the offshore windfarm.

It noted that HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has extensive experience in manufacturing offshore facilities and platforms. It also noted that Bada Energy has expanded and relocated to an office in Songjeong-dong, Buk-gu, Ulsan in order to enhance communication with local governments, stakeholders and supply chain companies in the area.

Gray Whale project manager Guillaume Le Maréchal said, “HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has strong relationship with TotalEnergies and has worked with the company on numerous projects in the offshore oil and gas market.”