Van Oord has been awarded the contract for the transport and installation of the monopile foundations for RWE’s Nordseecluster offshore wind project in Germany.
The company’s project scope includes installation of 104 extended monopiles as well as scour protection. Next year, 44 monopiles are scheduled for installation, with the remaining 60 expected to be in by 2027.
The 1.6 GW wind farm cluster is expected to be the first project for Van Oord’s new offshore installation vessel, Boreas, still under construction.
The Boreas is being purpose-built for the transport and installation of foundations and turbines for offshore wind farms. The jack-up vessel, with a 3,000 ton crane capacity, can install up to 20 MW wind turbines at sea, says the company.
It added that the vessel has the capability to fully operate on methanol, reducing its carbon footprint.
