Van Oord’s brand-new offshore wind installation vessel Boreas has successfully completed its first assignment: the installation of 45 monopiles at Nordseecluster A. This is the first phase of the 1.6-GW offshore wind farm in the German North Sea.
The Boreas is the largest and most sustainable vessel of its kind. Its maiden project is expected to generate renewable electricity for the equivalent of 1.6 million households.
Van Oord has been contracted to install a total of 105 extended monopiles for the Nordseecluster offshore wind farm, a joint project by RWE (51 per cent) and Norges Bank Investment Management (49 per cent). With the installation of the first 45 monopiles, a significant milestone has been reached. The remaining 60 monopiles will be installed at the second expansion stage, Nordseecluster B, scheduled for 2027.
In addition to the Boreas, Van Oord deployed its offshore wind installation vessel Aeolus to install secondary steel. Flexible fallpipe vessels Stornes and Bravenes were deployed for rock installation around the monopile foundations, to prevent erosion caused by strong currents and waves.
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Ready for increase in scale
During its first assignment, the Boreas has demonstrated its advanced monopile installation capabilities. With its impressive size, smart design and powerful equipment, the vessel is ready to meet the demands of sustainable offshore wind projects.
Maurits den Broeder, Managing Director Offshore Energy at Van Oord: ‘With the Boreas now operational and its first assignment successfully completed, we are well-positioned to accommodate the increase in scale in the offshore wind industry. This milestone underscores our commitment to enhancing the energy transition.’
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Boreas
The Boreas is 175.1 metres long and 63 metres wide. With a crane capable of lifting over 3000 tonnes, a 155-metre boom, and jack-up legs that can operate in waters up to 70 metres deep, the vessel is designed to handle turbines exceeding 20 MW in capacity, paving the way for large-scale fixed-bottom wind projects further offshore.
Built with the future in mind, Boreas is the first installation vessel of its kind that can operate on methanol, reducing carbon emissions by over 78 per cent. It is also equipped with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, and a 6000-kWh battery for greater energy efficiency.
Picture: Van Oord’s Boreas installed 45 monopiles at Nordseecluster A in the German North Sea (photo by Van Oord).
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