Van Oord Dredging and Marine Contractors bv Schaardijk 211 PRESS RELEASE 3063 NH PO Box 8574 3009 AN Rotterdam The Van Oord to build Belgium’s largest offshore T +31 88 8260000 wind project F +31 88 8265010 E [email protected] I www.vanoord.com

Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 15 December 2016 - Van Oord has signed a Page 1 of 2 contract with Norther for the Balance of Plant works for the Norther offshore wind farm, located 23 km off the Zeebrugge coast in Belgium. With a maximal capacity of 370 MW, Norther is set to become Belgium’s largest offshore wind project. After completion it will deliver renewable energy to 400,000 households.

The use of wind energy is increasing rapidly, especially in north western , driven by concerns about global warming, together with the aim of reducing the consumption of fossil fuels. Van Oord is at the forefront of projects that can be labelled as sustainable additions to the . The Norther offshore wind farm will contribute significantly to Belgium meeting its target of generating 13% of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2020.

The Van Oord activities encompass the engineering, procurement, supply and installation of the 44 WTG foundations, the Offshore High Voltage Station and the inter-array and export cables, and the installation of the turbines. For the transport and installation of the foundations and turbines Van Oord intend to deploy its offshore installation vessel Aeolus and cable-laying vessel Nexus. The construction will start in 2018.

Pieter van Oord, CEO Van Oord: ‘As one of the leading marine contractors we have completed several prominent offshore wind projects in the past fifteen years. We have also made large investments by adding ’s most advanced offshore wind equipment, such as installation vessel Aeolus and cable laying vessel Nexus, to our fleet. Thanks to our dedicated people, innovative solutions and specialised equipment we can contribute in making offshore wind a common form of sustainable energy.’

Dennis Sanou, Norther Project Director: ‘Project Norther and its shareholders Elicio, Eneco and Mitsubishi Corporation are proud to conclude that after a long Van Oord Dredging and Marine Contractors bv period of intense preparation and thanks to all parties involved we have been able to Page 2 of 2 achieve financial close. We are sure that the construction and commissioning of Norther in 2018 and 2019 will be a successful endeavour with reliable and experienced partners as Van Oord.’

About Van Oord Van Oord is a leading international contractor specialising in dredging, marine engineering and offshore projects (oil, gas and wind). Its head office is located in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The company’s expertise ranges from design to execution and it has been involved in such noteworthy projects as the port of Rotterdam’s Maasvlakte 2 expansion and the construction of the second Suez Canal, trench dredging and backfilling of pipelines worldwide, and the construction of several offshore wind farms in the North Sea. Van Oord is an independent family business and employs about 5,000 professionals worldwide. Its modern fleet consists of more than a hundred vessels and other specialised equipment.

More information Please contact Mr Robert de Bruin, Head Corporate Communication & Markets, T +31 88 8268234, M +31 6 53440890, E [email protected]. This press release and photo(s) free of copyrights are available on www.vanoord.com.