One of the world's largest floating cranes has arrived at the site of an offshore wind farm project in Scotland.

The 25,000 tonne Asian Hercules III will lift and install the steel jacket foundations at the £300 million European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC) in Aberdeen Bay.

The 77-metre high, 1,800-tonne suction bucket foundations are believed to be a UK first in large scale offshore wind.

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Adam Ezzamel, Vattenfall's Project Director for EOWDC, said: "The size of the Asian Hercules III offers a glimpse of the scale of the engineering behind the EOWDC. We hope that the technology on display will be an inspiration to young people considering a career in science, technology, engineering and maths.

“Low carbon power is about their future. By testing and demonstrating pioneering technology, the EOWDC will support the growth of a low-cost, fossil-free offshore wind industry which is set to be the backbone of the UK power sector."

Once completed, the EOWDC (also known as Aberdeen Offshore Wind Farm) will generate the equivalent of 70% of Aberdeen's domestic electricity demand and annually displace 132,977 tonnes of CO2.

(LM/MH)