DNV GL certifies Germany’s first accommodation platform for offshore wind farms

This is the first offshore platform in the North Sea to host up to 50 operation and maintenance staff members working at the nearby DanTysk offshore wind farm. As the offshore wind farm is 90km away from the nearest harbour, project developer Vattenfall designed the unique offshore structure to enable staff to live independently close to the wind farm without any outside support for up to three weeks.

The offshore wind accommodation platform sets unique challenges to the certification process. As required for all German offshore sites, the certification was carried out according to the requirements of the German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH).

Philipp Degenhardt, Team Lead for Project Certification from Vattenfall said: “The installation of the accommodation platform is a truly exceptional endeavor and we are very pleased with the professional certification approach that DNV GL’s team demonstrated. The safety and security of the platform’s residents is of utmost importance, which is why the close coordination with the most experienced certification body enabled us to meet the high security requirements for this unique offshore project.”

DNV GL‘s project team worked closely with the BSH and Vattenfall to provide a tailored certification approach to ensure the highest level of safety regulations are being met. The static design of the accommodation platform is very similar to that of an offshore substation; however the interior design of the construction is substantially different, providing living space comparable to a hotel environment. Throughout the certification process, DNV GL worked in close coordination with Vattenfall, focusing not only on  the structural aspects of the platform but also on all safety aspects covering fire protection, electricity supply, escape and evacuation routes.

“Certifying the first offshore accommodation platform was a challenging and exciting task and thanks to the excellent collaboration with Vattenfall we are delighted that we can issue a certificate that confirms the high safety and security standard of the platform,” said Jana Gehrmann-Vorbau, Project Manager Renewables Certification at DNV GL - Energy. “Our comprehensive experience in certifying offshore substations was certainly beneficial. The development of a tailored certification approach was needed, as we ventured into new territory of hotel and hospital-like features in the notoriously harsh offshore environment” added Fabio Pollicino, Global Service Line Leader for Project Certification at DNV GL - Energy.