Talks about using Hyundai Frontier for the Yeonggwang Nakwol offshore wind farm in South Korea are circulating. Allegations that the Chinese vessel assigned to the project is violating South Korean maritime regulations are causing delays. To address the situation, there are discussions about Hyundai Frontier stepping in to help minimize these delays.
The Yeonggwang Nakwol project, a venture that once rose with great promise, was suddenly declared dead, only to be revived and fast-tracked into offshore construction. The project has generated significant buzz. At one point, it was believed that Eneti’s new build, now Cadeler’s M-Class built in South Korea, would be contracted for the project. However, that did not materialize, and the contract was awarded to a Chinese operator.
Concerns have since arisen over excessive Chinese involvement and insufficient South Korean participation in the project. For some time, issues have been reported with the Chinese vessel on-site, where it appears the necessary legal work was not completed. This has resulted in delays. The Chinese vessel has been stationed at the site since October, but no progress has been made.
To address the delays, there is consideration of hiring Hyundai Frontier to assist with the project. The idea is for Hyundai Frontier to work in tandem with the Chinese vessel to regain lost time and reduce delays. However, part of the seabed within the project area is too difficult for Hyundai Frontier to operate on, making the involvement of the Chinese vessel a necessity to complete offshore construction.
Image Source: Hyundai E&C (Image not project related)
