The Rotra Mare docked in Saint-Nazaire on Thursday, December 5, carrying the first blades for the turbines that will equip the Îles d’Yeu and Noirmoutier offshore wind farm. This marks an important milestone in the progress of France’s 4th offshore wind farm, which is scheduled to be commissioned by the end of 2025.
Since mid-November, the first components of the offshore turbines produced by Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy have been arriving at the port of Saint-Nazaire. The port serves as the pre-assembly site for the Îles d’Yeu and Noirmoutier offshore wind farm, which is operated by Éoliennes en Mer des Îles d’Yeu et de Noirmoutier (EMYN), a subsidiary of Ocean Winds.
Components Delivered by Sea
Following the delivery of Compact Tower Frames (CTFs), used as supports for pre-assembling the towers, 16 blades were unloaded in early December. Each blade, measuring 81 meters in length and manufactured at Siemens Gamesa’s factories in Le Havre, was handled using two mobile cranes, LHM 600 and 550, operating in tandem at the Prise d’Eau quay in Saint-Nazaire. The operation involved teams from Atlantique Manutention, the Groupement de Main d’Œuvre Portuaire (GMOP), and Nantes Saint-Nazaire Port, working closely with Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy on behalf of EMYN.
Additional shipments of blades, towers, and nacelles are expected in December and January. The nacelles, also produced in Le Havre, will be transported via a roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) vessel to the Charbonniers quay. From there, they will be transferred to the logistics hub using SPT trailers, traveling along a heavy-duty road currently undergoing renovation and reinforcement, slated for completion in the coming weeks.
First Deployment of the Vole au Vent Scheduled for Spring
The components for the 61 turbines will be stored at the logistics hub adjacent to the Joubert dry dock before being transported offshore by the Vole au Vent, a Jan De Nul installation vessel, starting in spring 2025.
These 8 MW turbines will provide a total capacity of nearly 500 MW, generating enough electricity to power approximately 800,000 people annually—the equivalent of the population of Vendée.
The Îles d’Yeu and Noirmoutier offshore wind farm represents an estimated investment of €2.5 billion. The construction project, which spans 2.5 years, will create 1,600 direct jobs in France, including around 100 positions in port-related professions.
