Greater Gabbard Offshore Wind Farm: Jotun protective coatings for North Sea infrastructure

Project overview

The Greater Gabbard Offshore Wind Farm, located approximately 23 kilometres off the Suffolk coast, required a high-performance protective coating solution for its offshore transition pieces.

The project involved 144 sets of transition pieces, fabricated by ZPMC in China before installation as part of the offshore wind farm development.

Given the demanding marine environment, the protection of critical steel infrastructure was a key consideration.

A decade of clean energy celebrated at Greater Gabbard offshore wind farm

The challenge

Offshore steel structures are exposed to highly aggressive environmental conditions throughout their operational life.

For offshore wind infrastructure, key considerations can include:

  • Saltwater and marine atmospheric exposure
  • High humidity
  • Corrosion risk
  • Difficult access for future maintenance
  • Long-term asset protection requirements

The transition pieces represent a critical connection between the supporting foundations and the wind turbine structures above.

As a result, appropriate coating selection is an important part of the overall durability and lifecycle strategy.

The coating solution

Jotun supplied Jotamastic 87 Glass Flake for the project.

The coating was selected for application to the transition pieces, with Jotun highlighting the importance of protection within critical offshore areas where long-term performance and ease of maintenance are key requirements.

Supporting long-term renewable energy infrastructure

Greater Gabbard demonstrates the importance of coating specification within offshore renewable energy projects.

As wind infrastructure continues to operate in demanding marine environments, protective coatings play an important role in helping manage corrosion risk and support long-term asset performance.

For offshore applications, coating selection should consider the exact service environment, substrate condition and anticipated maintenance requirements rather than relying on a generic corrosion protection approach.

New Guard Coatings supplies high-performance protective coating systems for offshore wind, energy infrastructure, fabricated steel and demanding industrial applications. Our technical team can assist with coating selection and specification for complex environments.

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