Energy company Eneco has become a member of the Amsterdam IJmuiden Offshore Ports (AYOP) association, which represents over 85 companies and organizations active in the North Sea Canal region with a focus on the offshore sector.

Eneco sees membership of AYOP as an ideal way to work with regional players in the maintenance and operation of its existing wind farms as well as the Hollandse Kust Noord farm, recently awarded to CrossWind, a joint venture consortium between Shell Nederland and Eneco.

CrossWind aims to have the new wind farm operational by 2023. Hollandse Kust Noord will have an installed total capacity of 759 MW and supply at least 3.3 TWh a year, enough to provide green power to over one million households. The farm will be located 18.5 kilometers off the Dutch coast at Egmond aan Zee.

AYOP members offer added value to the construction and maintenance of wind farms in various ways, from mapping the seabed to transhipping rotor blades, cables and turbines. Moreover, AYOP partners can provide support in transporting employees to the field and finding skilled staff.

Eneco Wind already has a location in IJmuiden with its maintenance base for the offshore wind farms Eneco Luchterduinen and Prinses Amalia. On land, Eneco Wind is busy with developing the new Spuisluis wind farm along the North Sea Canal.

In addition, it is co-owner of the Afrikahaven wind farm in the western port area together with Port of Amsterdam – another premium AYOP member.

“Eneco has already been working well with AYOP in various offshore wind farm projects. As part of CrossWind we are now looking to make a good start to realising the Hollandse Kust Noord wind farm while further strengthening our cooperation with the region. This is where our membership of AYOP comes in, enabling us to intensify our relationships based on mutual trust.”

Ruben Dijkstra, director of offshore wind at Eneco.

“We are pleased that such a leading player in the wind energy sector as Eneco has chosen to join our association. Together with Shell and Vattenfall the move reinforces our strong cluster in the region in terms of both of opportunities for other members and partners and the sharing and multiplication of knowledge. Working together is the only way to realize the energy transition.”

AYOP director Sylvia Boer.