News
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March 2023 – Con4Mare celebrates its 10th anniversary
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Con4Mare GmbH was founded in February 2013. What has changed since then?
I guess mainly that I have less hair on my head and more grey hair on my face. (laughing)
Principally, we started when the offshore wind industry really took off. The first projects were just operational and the market grew rapidly. With the experience gained from then, we started our business from almost zero with just two people, to a well-recognized brand in the Marine Warranty Service and Offshore Community working on different innovative projects with companies like TenneT, Siemens, Heerema, Allseas, Northland Power, EnBW, Ørsted, RWE etc. more or less on a daily basis. I would say that this is quite ok for me. (laughing) -
Which milestones were of special importance?
I would say there have been a lot of milestones since 2013 and it is hard to pick a special one. Nevertheless, securing the first overall project contracts instead of individual smaller engagements were big steps for us. Further, the SylWin Contract, where we conducted the Marine Warranty Survey Service and the expansion and merger with our mother and sister companies in SeaRenergy were important to us as these developments confirmed our path and provided the fuel for further growth. Beyond that was the nomination as MWS for our first Gravity Base Project with Kriegers Flak, the first involvement in Floating Wind for TetraSpar and Pentland as well as our increased work outside of Europe with for example in Singapore and Chine for the DolWin 5 Project another step. Finally, I am personally proud of the additional expertise that we developed in areas like the inspection, certification and Quality assurance of HSE compliance where we also hold all the necessary certifications and accreditations.
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Which project has been the most significant for you so far?
I would say that the SylWin Project was one of the most important projects in our history. It was our first footprint for the HVDC Projects and the start of good partnership with companies like TenneT, Siemens, Seaway 7 and others. Based on this successful project, people gained trust in Con4Mare and our competencies. We made a lot of friends in the offshore industry during this period and were involved in several comparable projects since then.
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What is unique about Con4Mare?
When we started our journey with Con4Mare, our main goal was to be part of the offshore renewable community and fulfill our service duties and responsibilities with qualification, expertise, and knowledge. Nevertheless, being a Marine Warranty Surveyor can mean you must make an unpopular decision and approve an operation only after the risk has been mitigated to an acceptable level. Therefore, we always wanted to be recognized as a competent and open partner for innovative and challenging approaches without judging or refusing an operation too early – while still guaranteeing to our client from the insurance business that the operations were conducted in a safe manner. People who work with us feel that we act reasonably, that we seek pragmatic solutions, that we are there for dialogue, and that we have the competence to get to an optimal outcome. We know about the challenges of the projects as much as we know those of insurers and other stakeholders. And we are proud that our clients’ feedback speaks to these qualities.
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What does the future of Con4Mare looks like?
We would still like to be seen as a professional, knowledgeable partner and still be part of the offshore community 10 years from now. We believe that our additional services like inspection and certification of offshore cranes and cranes under offshore conditions, the Quality assurance of HSE compliance, the certification services, as well as the Pre-accompanying MWS Consultancy will become even more important and we will be a trustworthy, competent, and reliable partner. Moreover, we are part of the wonderful SeaRenergy Group, which we would like to further position and represent with our management team and our employees in the upcoming years. We are working together in a fascinating and growing field, providing valuable services to our clients in various disciplines. To be part of that, working and helping my colleagues, developing ideas, gaining and sharing experiences is the foundation which we endeavor to expand going forward.
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November 2022 – Con4Mare completed the Marine Warranty Survey Scope for the Transport & Installation of the components of the 342 MW OWF Kaskasi by RWE
With the successful installation of the last of the 38 turbines, Con4Mare is looking back to an exciting project with many „world’s firsts“ in the industry. We have had the opportunity to be part of the world’s first WTG monopile foundations installed on DP and also by vibratory driving. To be added to that are innovations like collared monopile foundations, self-expanding pile shoes or recyclable blades.
Con4Mares scope was to provide MWS services for T&I of monopiles, MP collars, transition pieces, turbines, substation and inter array cables. It was a demanding and diverse project including the review of over 1000 documents and more than 30 vessels involved during construction.
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September 2022 – HVDC platform DolWin kappa is successfully installed in the North Sea
TenneT’s 900 MW HVDC platform DolWin kappa has been successfully installed in the North Sea. The main transport and installation (T&I) phase of the project has been completed in September 2022 by Allseas and their one-of-a-kind vessel, Pioneering Spirit, within two weeks. Furthermore, Con4Mare provided their MWS services and shared their expertise during the construction phase at Dragados Offshore in Cadiz, Spain and interim transports in Europe and Turkey, and supported the client on-site throughout the loadout activities and preparations for the towage of main components.
An overall unique project that can be underscored by on-time delivery despite global pandemic and zero accidents in the T&I scope.
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May 2021 – Prager and Con4Mare start cooperation to correspond to the increasing demand for crane surveyors in the offshore wind industry
Since many years, the surveyor office Sachverständigenbüro Prager GmbH examines crane facilities before their first implementing according to the principles of workplace “Examination of cranes” (DGUV G 309-001). This inspection can be done for bridge cranes, gantry cranes, jib-arm cranes, wall-mounted cranes and trolly rails. As the demand for crane surveyors in the offshore wind industry increased in the past years, Prager started a cooperation with Con4Mare to correspond to that demand. The cooperation includes the apprenticeship of Con4Mare personnel by Prager in collaboration with HDT. “We are happy to have this positive cooperation with a well-accepted Offshore Inspection Company like Con4Mare to meet the needs of the market, especially in the German Offshore Sector”, says Wolfgang Prager, Managing Director of Sachverständigenbüro Prager GmbH. “We see this cooperation as an opportunity to extend our service portfolio and to strengthen our core business, the marine warranty survey, as well as the inspection service in general”, adds Alexander Vogel, Managing Director of the Con4Mare GmbH & Cie. KG.
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July 2020 – Con4Mare has successfully completed the second-time reassessment of its Safety Culture Ladder certification
After achieving the Step 3 Certification under the framework of the Safety Culture Ladder for the first time in 2018, we have recently been able to endorse it in the third year already. Due to the current situation, the control audit was conducted remotely. Once again, LRQA on behalf of the NEN acknowledged our H & S awareness & efforts by issuing the certificate with a cumulative score of 99%. We are proud to continue with our path in accordance with the principles of the Safety Culture Ladder.
Please click here if you want to learn more about NEN and the Safety Culture Ladder.
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February 2020 – Boskalis has awarded Con4Mare a contract to provide Marine Warranty Survey services to replace a high-voltage cable between Denmark and Sweden
As part of the project framework, four 400-kV HVAC cables will be constructed and produced by a consortium. Post-removal of the old 1973 cable by Boskalis, the new ones will have to be installed. Con4mare is responsible for all MWS services during the offshore installation. The completion of the replacement project is planned for 2020.
Copyright Picture: Boskalis
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December 2019 – Con4Mare provides Marine Warranty Survey (MWS) service for the Kaskasi Offshore Wind Farm Project
Kaskasi offshore wind farm with a planned installed capacity 342 MW, will be installed next to RWE’s offshore windfarms Nordsee Ost and Amrumbank West in the HelWin cluster in the German North Sea. At that location, the water depth reaches between 18 and 25m. The wind farm will consist of 38 WTG’s. The wind turbines will be installed on monopile foundations and connected to an offshore substation platform by subsea array cables. It is developed and owned by RWE. Con4Mare provides MWS service during the whole project phase and the offshore construction work is planned to be started in the third quarter of 2021. The wind farm is set to go online in summer 2022. After full start of commercial operation in Q4 2022, Kaskasi will be able to supply the equivalent of around 400,000 households per year with green electricity.
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October 2019 – Con4Mare provides Marine Warranty Survey services for the Hornsea Two Project
After a successful collaboration in 2017 and 2018, leading offshore wind farm developer Ørsted has once again appointed Con4Mare as the Marine Warranty Surveyor for the transport and installation of the monopile and transition piece foundations of the Hornsea Two offshore wind farm.
The windfarm is located approximately 89km of the East Coast of Yorkshire (UK) and will span an overall area of 462 km² consisting of 165 foundations for Siemens Gamesa SG 8.0 – 167DD wind turbines. When built in 2022, it will be the largest wind farm in the world capable of providing enough electricity for well over 1.3 million homes. For Con4mare the scope of work includes interim transports of foundation items from three different locations in Europe and the offshore transport and installation works with a dedicated installation vessel.
Copyright Picture: Ørsted
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August 2019 – Con4Mare lands DolWin epsilon Marine Warranty Survey contract
TenneT has appointed Con4Mare as the Marine Warranty Surveyor for the transport (incl. interim transports) and installation, load out and seafastening. The offshore grid connection system DolWin5 was commissioned to connect the wind farm Borkum Riffgrund III to the high voltage grid onshore. The connection consists of a 100 km offshore and a 30 km onshore cable. The initial operation of the 900-megawatt direct current connection is planned for 2024.
Copyright Picture: TenneT
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May 2019 – TetraSpar Demonstrator ApS has awarded Con4Mare a contract to provide Marine Warranty Survey services for the construction and installation of a 3.6 MW floating wind turbine demonstrator
As part of the project framework, Con4Mare is supporting TSD in the development of construction and installation works. It comprises floater assembly, load-out, towing to site and mooring activities. Due to floater’s specific design and geometry, dedicated installation aids had to be developed. TSD decided to ask Con4Mare for extended scope of works such as basin tests consultancy and installation aid design review. Since the project is a prototype, a lot of the tasks are not standardized according to common offshore guidelines.
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April 2019 – Turbine installation underway at Hohe See OWF
After a successfully finalized foundation campaign in April and OSS campaign last year June, the HLJV Brave Tern left Esbjerg in early April for the first batch of WTG installations in the Hohe See field. She will be joined by HLJV Blue Tern later in April which will also take over WTG installations for Hohe See and later Albatros. With that, the last major campaign for the Hohe See OWF has kicked off and installation works are deemed to be finalized in July/August this year with commissioning works continuing until later this year.The Hohe See offshore wind farm consists of 71 turbines with 7.0 MW nominal power each resulting in a total nominal capacity of 497 MW. The foundations will consist of a monopile and a transition piece.
The Albatros Offshore Wind Farm consists of 16 turbines of the type Siemens SWT-7.0-154 providing a total capacity of 112 MW. It is located close to the 497 MW EnBW Hohe See wind farm.
Con4Mare’s scope of work as Marine Warranty Surveyor, included the transportation and installation of the foundations (Monopile, Transition Piece), WTGs (Wind Turbine Generators), Array Cables and the Offshore Substations (Monopile, Topside) for both Hohe See and Albatros.
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April 2019 – Con4Mare has successfully completed the first-time reassessment of its Safety Culture Ladder certification
In April 2018 Con4Mare already achieved Step 3 under the framework of the Safety Culture Ladder. Now one year later we are happy to announce that we have successfully completed the first-time reassessment with a cumulative score of 99%. The different audits have been conducted by Lloyd Register on behalf of the NEN. We are proud that our consistent efforts regarding H&S awareness have been acknowledged and we will continue to work in accordance with the principles of the Safety Culture Ladder.
For more information about NEN and the Safety Culture Ladder please click here!
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May 2018 – Kriegers Flak substations successfully installed
After a successful installation of the gravity-based foundations in February 2018 the three substation modules of the Kriegers Flak OSS were successfully installed in early May 2018 by HLV RAMBIZ. The substations are part of the establishment of the 600MW Kriegers Flak offshore wind farm which is developed by Vattenfall. One 200MW substation, named Kriegers Flak A (KFA), will be erected in the western wind farm area and another 400MW substation in the eastern area of the wind farm, named Kriegers Flak B (KFB). KFB includes an extension module, denoted KFE, for the transformation from 220kV to 150kV and for the connection to the offshore wind farm Baltic II, hence being part of an interconnector between the Danish and the German transmission grid.
Copyright Picture: SCALDIS
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December 2017 – Con4Mare to provide Marine Warranty Survey Services for the HVDC platform DolWin kappa
The 900-megawatt DC connection DolWin6 located in the North Sea is the latest DC project by TenneT after DolWin3 and BorWin3. Con4Mare’s scope of work includes MWS services for load out, seafastening, transport incl. interim transports and installation of the offshore platform. In 2013/14 Con4Mare successfully completed projects HelWin beta and SylWin alpha with the same scope of work. TenneT scheduled the completion for the platform for 2023.
Copyright Picture: TenneT
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27.09.2017 – Con4Mare provides Marine Warranty Survey Survices for the Hornsea One Project
DONG Energy has appointed Con4Mare as the Marine Warranty Surveyor for the transport and installation of the MP/TP foundations of the Hornsea Project One offshore wind farm. The windfarm is located approximately 120 km of the East Coast of East Yorkshire (UK) and will span an overall area of approx. 407 km² consisting of 174 foundations and 4 offshore substations. When built it will be the largest wind farm in the world capable of providing enough electricity for well over one million homes. -
24.05.2017 – EnBW nominate Con4Mare to provide Marine Warranty Survey Services for the Albatros Offshore Wind Farm
The Albatros Offshore Wind Farm consists of 16 turbines of the type Siemens SWT-7.0-154 providing a total capacity of 112 MW. It is located close to the 497 MW EnBW Hohe See wind farm in the south western part of the North Sea within the German Exclusive Economic Zone. Con4Mare’s scope of work covers the transportation and installation of the foundations (Monopile, Transition Piece), WTGs (Wind Turbine Generators), Array Cables and the Offshore Substation (Monopile, Topside).
Copyright Picture: EnBW -
12.04.2017 -DONG Energy nominates Con4Mare to provide Marine Warranty Survey Services for the Borkum Riffgrund 2 Wind Farm
The offshore wind farm Borkum Riffgrund 2 (BKR02) is located in the North Sea, within the German Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The site is located approximately 17km East of the border between Germany and the Netherlands, approximately 34km North of the island of Borkum and approximately 50km North-West of the German mainland. The Borkum Riffgrund 2 offshore wind farm consists of 56 Foundations in total which are splitted in 20 Suction Bucket Jackets (SBJ) and 36 Monopiles (MP) and their corresponding Transition Pieces (TP). MHI Vestas Offshore will supply the 56 WTG’s of the type V164-8.0 MW, resulting in a total wind farm capacity of 450 MW. One inner park offshore substation will collect the electrical energy from the wind farm for the transmission to a not yet defined HVDC transformer platform which transforms it to a higher voltage level ensuring a low-loss transmission to shore. Con4Mare’s scope of work with regards to the MWS Service will include the MP/TP and WTG load out, transport and installation operation.
Copyright Picture: DONG Energy
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01.04.2017 – Con4Mare moves into new Office in the Centre of Hamburg
At the beginning of April 2017 Con4Mare moved into a new office at the „Alster“ in the centre of Hamburg. We can now share important synergies together with our mother company SeaRenergy and make our services even more flexible for our customers to create measurable added value. Our customers and partners are of course warmly welcome to visit us at the new premises.
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09.09.2016 – GeoSea nominates Con4Mare to provide Marine Warranty Survey Services for the MERKUR Offshore Wind Farm
The MERKUR offshore wind farm consists of 66 turbines with 6.0 MW nominal power each resulting in a total nominal capacity of 396 MW. The foundations will consist of a monopile and a transition piece. One inner park offshore substation will collect the electrical energy from the wind farm for the transmission to the DolWin gamma HVDC transformer platform which transforms it to a higher voltage level ensuring a low-loss transmission to shore. The wind farm is located approximately 45km north of the island Borkum.
Copyright Picture: GeoSea
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23.11.2016 – Con4Mare provides Marine Warranty Survey Services for the Kriegers Flak Substations
Energinet.dk nominated Con4Mare as the Marine Warranty Surveyor for the transport and installation of the gravity based foundations and the topsides of the Kriegers Flak offshore substations, which are part of the establishment of the 600MW Kriegers Flak offshore wind farm. The wind farm is located approximately 15km east of the Danish coast in the southern part of the Baltic Sea. One 200MW substation, named Kriegers Flak A (KFA), will be erected in the western wind farm area and another 400MW substation in the eastern area of the wind farm, named Kriegers Flak B (KFB). KFB includes an extension module, denoted KFE, for the transformation from 220kV to 150kV and for the connection to the offshore wind farm Baltic II, hence being part of an interconnector between the Danish and the German transmission grid. The KFB and the KFE platform are together named KFBE. Both substations KFA and KFB will collect the output from the nearby wind farms and transport the energy via 220kV cables to shore in Denmark.
Copyright Picture: ENERGINET.DK
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30.06.2016 – EnBW nominate Con4Mare to provide Marine Warranty Survey Services for the Hohe See Offshore Wind Farm
The Hohe See offshore wind farm consists of 71 turbines with 7.0 MW nominal power each resulting in a total nominal capacity of 497 MW. The foundations will consist of a monopile and a transition piece. One inner park offshore substation will collect the electrical energy from the wind farm for the transmission to the BorWin beta HVDC transformer platform which transforms it to a higher voltage level ensuring a low-loss transmission to shore. The Hohe See offshore wind farm is located approximately 90km north of Borkum island and 100km north west of the island Helgoland covering an area of 42km².Copyright Picture: EnBW -
24.06.2016 – ENERGINET.dk finished the Installation Campaign of the Horns Rev 3 Transformer Platform
finished the installation of the three transformers of the Horns Rev 3 Platform today. The transformers were lifted into their final positions by the A2SEA „SEA INSTALLER“. Energinet.dk and Con4Mare have therewith finished a successful cooperation on this project.
Copyright Pictures: ENERGINET.DK -
25.04.2016 – ENERGINET.dk successfully installed the Horns Rev 3 Transformer Platform
finished today the installation works of the Horns Rev 3 (HR3) transformer platform today . The components of the platform, the 1414t Jacket and the 1766t Topside, have been lifted off the transport barges and put in place by the SHL STANISLAV YUDIN. The HR3 transformer platform will collect the electrical energy from the Horns Rev 3 Offshore Windfarm and will transform it to a higher voltage level ensuring a low-loss transmission to shore. Con4Mare was nominated as the Marine Warranty Surveyor for this project.
Copyright Picture: ENERGINET.DK -
26.03.2016 – Replacement Operations on Trianel Offshore Substation successfully finished
Trianel successfully finished equipment replacements on the offshore substation of the Trianel Windpark Borkum with the Jack Up Barge THOR. Con4Mare was nominated as the Marine Warranty Surveyor for this operation.
Copyright Picture: Trianel, SMS Spezial Montage Service -
21.03.2016 – Adwen puts Modular Load Frames, designed by Con4Mare, in Service
Con4Mare designed Modular Load Frames for the sea transportation of Adwen’s Tower Sections. The Load Frames can be disassembled and stacked to allow for a combined transportation on a trailer. The Load Frames have been certified by DNV GL and are now in service for the transportation of Adwen’s Tower Sections for the Winkinger Offshore Wind Farm.
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07.03.2016 – Nordsee One finished 50% of Foundation Installations
Nordsee One installed today the 27th Monopile and the corresponding Transition Piece. The installation contractor GeoSea has therewith finished 50% of the foundation installations and the project management of Nordsee One reached an impotant milestone within the project execution in due time.
Copyright Picture: Nordsee One -
01.02.2016 – Con4Mare celebrates 3rd Year Anniversary
Looking back at three exciting and successful years of challenging projects within the Offshore Industry, we would like to express our gratitude to all our clients, partners and the whole Con4Mare team for your trust and look forward to continuing our pleasant cooperation!
Dominik Mähl & Alexander Vogel -
26.11.2015 – Trianel Windkraftwerk Borkum GmbH & Co. KG nominated Con4Mare to provide Marine Warranty Survey Services
Trianel Windkraftwerk Borkum GmbH & Co. KG nominated Con4Mare to provide Marine Warranty Survey Services for replacement operations on the offshore substation of the Trianel Windpark Borkum.
Copyright Picture: Trianel -
05.06.2015 – Con4Mare provides Marine Warranty Survey Services for the Nordsee One Offshore Wind Farm
Nordsee One is the first stage of a large wind farm complex to be built 40 kilometres north of the island Juist off Germany’s coast. Nordsee One consists of 54 turbines with 6.15 MW each and provides a total capacity of 332.1 MW.
Copyright Picture: RWE -
27.04.2015 – Con4Mare provides Marine Warranty Survey Services for the Horns Rev 3 Offshore High Voltage Substation
nominated Con4Mare as the Marine Warranty Surveyor for the transport and installation of jacket and topside for the Horns Rev 3 Offshore High Voltage Substation, which is part of the establishment of the 400 MW Horns Rev 3 Offshore Wind Farm. The purpose of the Horns Rev 3 Substation is to collect the electrical energy from the Offshore Windfarm and to transform it to a higher voltage level ensuring a low-loss transmission to shore.
Copyright Picture: ENERGINET.DK -
03.02.2015 – Con4Mare gets OHSAS 18001:2007 certification
The German Social Accident Insurance Institution for Transport and Traffic certified that Con4Mare GmbH & Cie. KG meets the requirements of a systematic and effective occupational safety and health, based on the Guidelines for health and safety management system of the BG Verkehr in accordance with the Guidelines NLF/ILO-OSH 2001. The assessment also proved that the OHSAS 18001:2007 guidelines are implemented.
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19.01.2015 – Con4Mare is Connexio pre-qualified supplier
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27.10.2014 – Con4Mare Company Portfolio Clip on N-TV
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25.08.2014 – Con4Mare gets ISO 9001:2008 approval by Lloyd’s Register
The Quality Management System of Con4Mare GmbH & Cie. KG has been checked and approved by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance to the Quality Management System Standards ISO 9001:2008
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12.07.2014 – SylWin alpha Topside installed
The Topside of the SylWin alpha Transformer Platform has been successfully set down on the pre-installed Jacket by means of a float-over operation. -
05.07.2014 – HelWin beta Topside installed
The Topside of the HelWin beta Transformer Platform has been successfully lifted with the SSCV THIALF and set down on the pre-installed Jacket. -
04.05.2014 – SylWin alpha Jacket installed
The Jacket of the SylWin alpha Transformer Platform has benn successfully placed on the sea bed at the planned location and piling works have been finished. -
22.04.2014 – HelWin beta Jacket installed
The Jacket of the HelWin beta Transformer Platform has benn successfully placed on the sea bed at the planned location and piling works have been finished.
