Cadeler bolsters wind farm installation portfolio with $345m newbuild
Offshore wind contractor Cadeler has signed a new deal worth $345m with Cosco Heavy Industries for the construction of a wind turbine foundation installation vessel.
Cadeler said the new vessel will enable the company to target the growing segment of large-scale foundation installations and offer a complete set of services for transporting and installing offshore wind farms.
The Copenhagen-headquartered firm currently has two X-class wind turbine installation vessels to be delivered by Cosco Heavy Industries in the second half of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025. The new vessel, of the so-called F-class, will be built to similar specifications but features a unique design, allowing it to be converted from a foundation installation unit to a wind turbine installation vessel within a short period.
The F-class newbuild will deliver in the fourth quarter of 2025 and Cadeler has an option for an additional X or F-class vessel. In addition, the company is in negotiations for an XL monopile foundation installation contract in the North Sea, which is expected to begin in the first half of 2026.
According to Cadeler, the newbuild trio will be able to transport and install seven complete 15MW turbine sets per load or five sets of 20+ MW turbines, cutting down the number of trips needed for each project. The F-class will be able to transport up to six XL monopiles weighing between 2,300 and 2,600 mt each per round-trip. “Upon completion of the three new vessels, Cadeler will operate the largest and most capable fleet in the industry in terms of loading capacity and ability to transport, service, and install the largest offshore foundations and wind turbines,” the company said in a release.
