THE largest shipment of wind-turbine blades ever exported from the UK has left Southampton on board Atlasgracht, the longest vessel to be operated by Isle of Wight based Vestas Wind Systems.

A total of 60 sleek 35-metre long aerodynamic wind-turbine blades were loaded on to Atlasgracht and stacked in a unique formation of three blades high.

The blades are destined for Napier Port in New Zealand and, once constructed, the wind turbines will be capable of producing more than 30 megawatts of energy, or enough energy to power around 30,000 homes.

Blades and components were manufactured by Vestas Wind Systems, formerly NEG Micon Rotors Limited, one of the world's largest producers of wind turbines, at its dedicated UK plant on the island.

Mike Rose, marine transfer manager for Vestas Wind Systems, said: "This landmark shipment marks a significant milestone for our company.

"It is thanks to the good business relationship between Vestas Wind Systems and the Port of Southampton that we have been able to develop our business and grow the volume of blades we export all over the world."

Loaded on to state-of-the-art barges, the blades are transported up Southampton Water from the Isle of Wight to the city's Eastern Docks where they are assembled into various shipments, for onward transportation by sea to ports and sites across the globe.

Ray Facey, the port of Southampton's sales and marketing manager, said: "Vestas Wind Systems is a well respected and established customer of ABP Southampton and we are pleased to have played our part in handling not only this record shipment, but also the onward storage and transportation of the blades for the development of wind farms around the world."