Cadeler has placed an order to build its second F-class jack-up vessel for deployment in the offshore wind industry.
This is the sixth vessel that Cadeler will have in its fleet, tripling its number of vessels.
The new F-class vessel is expected to be delivered in the second half of 2026.
The global demand for offshore wind capacity and technological developments resulting in increasingly larger wind turbines calls for large installation vessels.
As a result, Cadeler has now ordered its second F-class vessel, offering clients a hybrid design allowing the vessel to convert from being a foundation installation unit to a wind turbine generator installation vessel within a short period of time.
Cadeler is building two X-class as well as an F-class vessel, which are set to be delivered from the second half of 2024 onwards.
All vessels, ordered by Cadeler, will be built by COSCO Heavy Industries in Qidong, China, and will sail under Danish flag.
Cadeler has been able to achieve a very competitive price due to a strong collaboration that the company has built with COSCO Heavy Industries, synergies from building several similar designed jack-ups and negotiating the option for a second F-class seven months ago.
It has been agreed between the parties not to disclose the final price of the contract due to these special circumstances.
“Due to our solid partnership with Cadeler and our strong order book of Cadeler jack-up vessels, we have been able to offer Cadeler a unique deal in the industry.
“We are honoured that Cadeler continues to see us as a strategic business partner that can deliver the state-of-the-art vessels that the market requires”, said YuJian, Commercial Director from COSCO Shipping (Qidong) Offshore.
The second F-class vessel will be built on similar specifications to the first F-class vessel, with a deck space of 5,600 sq m, a payload of more than 17,600 tonnes and a main crane capacity to be disclosed at a later date.
Both the X- and F-class vessels are today unmatched within the industry.
The vessels will be able to transport and install seven complete 15MW turbine sets per load or six sets of 2XL monopile foundations, cutting down the number of transits needed for each project.
In line with the X-class vessels, the F-class will cater for some of the largest dimensions in the offshore wind industry.
The X- and F-class vessels are built in close cooperation with Cadeler’s strategic partners, which include GustoMSC NOV, Kongsberg, Huisman and MAN Energy.