MPI will supply London Array with the MPI Adventure, a vessel currently being built in Cosco Nantong in China. The Adventure is a state-of-the-art ship that will be capable of transporting, lifting and installing more wind turbines and their foundations than any vessel in the market today. The vessel is expected to start operations in April 2011.

In addition, A2SEA will supply the Sea Worker, a jack-up barge that is expected to be on site from March 2011.

Richard Rigg, Project Director for London Array, says: “These are the final major construction contracts to be signed for London Array, which has now moved as a project from the development phase into full construction.”

“These vessels are critical to the successful installation of the wind turbines and their foundations and we are delighted to be working with such experienced contractors."

London Array will be built in the Thames Estuary around 20km off the coasts of Kent and Essex. The partners aim to complete Phase One, which will cover 90 sq km and consists of 175 Siemens turbines in 2012. If approved, the second phase will bring total capacity to 1 gigawatt.

The project consortium is made up of Denmark’s Dong Energy which owns 50%, German utility E.ON with 30% and Abu Dhabi investment fund Masdar with a 20% stake.

Separately, A2SEA has won a contract from Fluor for the installation of Siemens turbines at the Greater Gabbard wind farm project of the east coast of the UK. The company's Sea Jack vessel will commence operations in the spring of 2010. Sea Jack, which has been working on the Vattenfall’s Thanet offshore wind farm offshore from Kent, is capable of loading three complete 3.6MW turbines at a time.