Van Oord’s new cable-laying vessel, Calypso, has installed cables on its first project, RWE’s Sofia Offshore Wind Farm in the U.K.
The Calypso is Van Oord’s second cable-laying vessel after the Nexus.
The Calypso is purpose-built to install inter-array grid and export cables for offshore wind projects worldwide, including high-voltage direct current cables. Van Oord’s cable trenchers can also be operated from the vessel.
The Calypso is equipped with two cable carousels, one on deck and another below deck, providing a total cable-carrying capacity of 8,000 tons and capable of laying both HVDC cables simultaneously. The hybrid vessel has engines with built-in flexibility to anticipate e-fuels, a battery pack, a shore supply connection and an energy management system.
RWE has contracted Van Oord for the design, engineering, procurement, construction and installation of the monopile foundations and array cables for this project, with the Calypso installing 360 kilometers of inter-array cables.
“With the Calypso now operational, we have significantly strengthened our cable installation fleet,” says Arnoud Kuis, Van Oord’s managing director Offshore Energy.
“This milestone reflects our commitment to continuously reinforcing our leading position in the market by investing in sustainable technology. With two cable installation vessels at our disposal, along with our extensive experience and expertise, we have the resources and flexibility needed to provide value to our clients and excel in this dynamic industry. It’s exciting to see the Calypso in action, installing its first cables on the Sofia project, and we look forward to its successful deployment on many more offshore wind projects.”
The wind farm is expected to be fully operational in 2026.
