Cadeler has signed a $345m (€327m) contract with Cosco Heavy Industries to build an F-class vessel to cater for the largest projects in the offshore wind industry.
The deal, which includes an option for an additional X or F-class vessel, will provide a vessel to enable Cadeler to target the growing segment of large-scale foundation installations and offer a complete set of services within transport and installation of offshore wind farms.
Cadeler is currently building two X-class vessels to be delivered by Cosco Heavy Industries in the first half of 2024 and first quarter of2025.
The F-class vessel will be built on specifications similar to the two X-class vessels providing substantial scale benefits.
It will feature a unique design, allowing the vessel to convert from being a foundation installation unit to a turbine installation vessel within a short period of time.
Delivery is scheduled in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Cadeler said it is currently in discussion for a XL monopile foundation installation contract in the North Sea, expected to commence in the second quarter of 2026.
The vessel will have a deck space of 5600 square metres, a payload of more than 17,600 tonnes and main crane capacity to be disclosed at a later date.
The vessels will be able to transport and install seven complete 15MW turbine sets per load or five sets of 20-plus MW turbines.
The F-class will be able to transport up to six XL monopiles – weight 2300-2600 tonnes each – per round-trip, which improves operational efficiency substantially.
Cadeler chief executive Mikkel Gleerup said: “Developing our fleet is a key strategic priority to meet the increasing demand for installation capacity.
“We are proud once again to push the boundaries of our industry by providing the most efficient vessels to stakeholders developing increasingly complex projects.
“Cosco Heavy Industries were chosen due to their expertise, reliability, and high standards in building complex windfarm installation vessels.
“Cosco is a strategic partner building our X-class vessels, and we have full confidence in their ability to deliver another state-of-the-art vessel.”
The X- and F-class vessels are built at Cosco’s shipyard in Qidong in China.
The strategic partners for the large-scale new builds include GustoMSC NOV, Kongsberg, Huisman and MAN Energy.