Taiwan yesterday held a launching ceremony for its first domestically produced crane vessel, the Green Jade, to be used for offshore wind farm projects, with Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) saying it was a milestone in the nation’s push for green energy.
The 216.5m long ship is the second-largest of its kind in the world.
“The Green Jade provides the best tools and technologies for Taiwan to develop offshore wind power and promote energy transition,” Su said at the ceremony in Kaohsiung.
Photo: Hung Chen-hung, Taipei Times
The ceremony came as Taiwan on Wednesday unveiled a road map and strategies for achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
“As 16 of the world’s 20 best wind farms are in Taiwan, and the government is ... determined to move toward net zero carbon emissions by 2050, better technologies and tools are needed to develop offshore wind power,” Su said.
“The vessel’s launch will help to further accelerate Taiwan’s energy transition,” he added.
The heavy-lift and installation vessel, built by CSBC Corp, Taiwan (台灣國際造船) at its shipyard in Kaohsiung, has a crane capacity of 4,000 tonnes. The Green Jade can accommodate a crew of up to 160 people.
It is a NT$7.5 billion (US$261.28 million) investment commissioned by CSBC-DEME Wind Engineering Co (CDWE, 台船環海) to transport wind turbines, jackets, components and structures in a single shipment. CDWE is a joint venture between CSBC and Belgium-based Dredging, Environmental and Marine Engineering NV.
CSBC chairman Cheng Wen-lung (鄭文隆) said at the ceremony that the Green Jade is the nation’s first crane vessel for offshore wind farms, and the second-largest in the world.
The company expects to deliver the vessel to CDWE in the spring of next year, Cheng said.
From next year to 2025, the vessel would be used for the nation’s two offshore wind farms — the Hai Long (海龍) 2 and 3 projects and the Chong Neng (中能) project, CDWE said.
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