Van Oord has been selected by ScottishPower Renewables to help deliver the £2.5 billion East Anglia ONE offshore windfarm scheme in the North Sea.

The marine engineering specialist will install steel foundation jackets to support the turbine towers, nacelle and blades on the development.

Each three-legged jacket stands over 65 metres tall and weighs more than 845 tonnes. Van Oord will use Seajack's modern Scylla vessel for the installation works. Around 75 new jobs will be created through the contract, as well as supporting 140 current positions with Seajacks.

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The six-month scheme is due to begin in April 2018.

Jonathan Cole, Managing Director of Offshore Wind at ScottishPower Renewables, said: "Seajacks are a world-leading offshore installation company who are based in East Anglia, so we are especially pleased that we were able to secure their services for our project. The additional jobs and training opportunities that this contract will create locally is important for our project.

"East Anglia ONE continues to make excellent progress. We are now starting preparations for the onshore work, as well as ensuring all of the plans are in place for the offshore work."

Once completed in 2020, the East Anglia ONE scheme will generate 714MW of electricity, enough to power 500,000 homes per year.

(LM)