German rotary operator Northern Helicopter will continue to provide air rescue in the Albatros and Hohe See offshore wind farms in the German exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the North Sea. The follow-up contract with EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg started on 1 February and covers a term of four years with the option of two extensions of one year. Located around 100 km north of the island of Borkum, the two offshore wind farms form an overall project with 87 wind turbines.

HEMS services have already been provided by NHC Northern Helicopter for the Hohe See offshore wind farm since February 2018 and for Albatros since February 2019. “We are pleased to continue our cooperation with NHC as a reliable and professional provider for HEMS in order to ensure fast and appropriate emergency medical care for our employees in the North Sea,” says Friedrich von Storch, operations manager offshore wind at EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg. The offshore rescue helicopter is based in St. Peter-Ording and is operated 24/7.

The air rescue service from NHC Northern Helicopter is part of the WINDEAcare holistic medical care concept for the offshore wind industry. “We set high standards for the safety of our customers, but also of our crews. These include optimally equipped offshore rescue helicopters for emergency situations and teams with above-average qualifications. In joint exercises with the technicians on the wind turbines, the necessary procedures for emergencies are regularly practised,” says Christian Müller-Ramcke, MD of Northern Helicopter. In 2020, the crews of the rescue helicopters in the North Sea and Baltic Sea completed 254 training hours for winch manoeuvres on wind turbines, platforms and vessels. A total of 1,146 flight hours have been reported for the past year for offshore rescue missions, exercises and other rescue missions.

For more than ten years, NHC Northern Helicopter has specialised in acute and emergency medical care as well as the transport of injured and sick people from offshore wind farms in both the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. Every offshore rescue helicopter is equipped with the state-of-the art emergency medical equipment to treat and monitor patients. The flying crew consists of two pilots as well as a winch operator, and the medical crew consists of an emergency doctor as well as an emergency paramedic.