Mayor of Velsen opens Ecowende's OSB in IJmuiden

Thursday 17 September 2026

Ecowende consists of 52 turbines of 15 MW each, built roughly 53 kilometres off the coast of IJmuiden. The wind farm is a joint venture between Shell, Chubu Electric Power and Eneco, and is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2026. From that point, it is expected to generate approximately 3.3 TWh of electricity annually, equivalent to around 3 percent of Dutch electricity consumption.

While the construction period revolves around installation vessels and temporary port facilities elsewhere in the Netherlands, the OSB will become the permanent home base for the teams operating the wind farm over the coming decades. "This is not the end of the project, this is the beginning of the phase that it's all about: delivering electricity to the Netherlands safely and reliably, day after day. From the OSB we keep watch over hundreds of kilometres of sea. If something goes wrong on a turbine, we need to be able to respond within hours — not days," said Klaas Keuning, Operations Director at Ecowende (photo below).

Day-to-day operation of the wind farm is carried out by Eneco Wind Offshore Operations, while Vestas is responsible for the maintenance and repair of the wind turbines.

With the OSB, IJmuiden gains a structural role in the wind farm's operational phase. For the Port of IJmuiden, this means not only additional activity, but also a long-term client that will remain tied to the port for decades to come.

"Building an offshore wind farm temporarily draws a great deal of shipping traffic and activity to a port. What's more interesting is what remains once the construction phase is over: a company that plays a significant role in energy generation on the North Sea and organises its maintenance here for the long term. That is exactly the kind of activity through which IJmuiden continues to develop into an energy port," said Karin Maat, CFO of Port of IJmuiden.

The opening on 17 September consisted of a tour of the new maintenance base for surrounding businesses and stakeholders, followed by a plenary programme with an official opening ceremony performed by Mayor Frank Dales of the municipality of Velsen.

"This wind farm doesn't just power turbines, it powers the economy of this region — from technician to supplier. We are delighted that Ecowende is establishing itself in IJmuiden for the coming decades. So we can continue building towards a sustainable future in Velsen," said Frank Dales, Mayor of the municipality of Velsen.