Van Oord has officially christened its new flagship offshore wind installation vessel, the Boreas, in Rotterdam, marking the company’s biggest-ever investment and a major step towards net-zero operations.
Christened by Rotterdam mayor Carola Schouten on 18 June, the 175-metre vessel is the largest and most sustainable of its kind globally. Powered by dual-fuel methanol engines, Boreas can reduce CO₂ emissions by over 78% and is fitted with a 3,000-tonne crane, battery pack and advanced NOx reduction systems.
Van Oord chief executive Govert van Oord said: “The Boreas is the largest investment in our company’s history, a testament to our ambition to remain a frontrunner in offshore wind, accelerate the energy transition and perform our work responsibly.”
Following its christening, Boreas will sail for its first assignment at the 1.6GW Nordseecluster in the German North Sea – a joint venture between RWE and Norges Bank Investment Management. Van Oord will install 104 extended monopiles and scour protection.
The Dutch marine contractor also announced it is the first in its sector to receive Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) approval for its 1.5°C-aligned climate strategy. The SBTi endorsement confirms Van Oord’s emissions targets meet the Paris Agreement’s most stringent climate pathway.
Van Oord submitted its fleet-related targets in May 2023 and secured formal approval on 1 June 2025 using SBTi’s maritime guidance.
“This approval reflects both our commitment to decarbonise our operations and our desire to increase system-wide collaboration,” said van Oord. “We recognise we cannot do this alone. Reaching net-zero requires close cooperation across our entire value chain.”
The Boreas is capable of installing wind turbines over 20MW and over 300 metres tall, positioning Van Oord to meet the next generation of offshore wind challenges.
Royal Van Oord operates in over 40 countries and employs more than 6,000 people. Its fleet includes 60 vessels and extensive specialist equipment.