Van Oord has installed all 111 monopiles for the Baltica 2 wind farm in Poland, including 107 for wind turbines and four for offshore substations. This milestone concludes one of the most demanding offshore construction campaigns in the Baltic Sea.
PGE and Ørsted are jointly developing Baltica 2, a 1.5 GW offshore wind farm. Once operational, it will generate enough renewable electricity to power around 2.5 million Polish households. As such, it contributes significantly to Poland’s energy security and accelerating the country’s energy transition.
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Central role for Van Oord
As the main contractor for the transport and installation of the Baltica 2 foundations and scour protection, Van Oord played a central role in delivering this critical phase of construction.
Before the work began, the Baltica 2 project team conducted a detailed analysis of different delivery options and potential scenarios that could affect the installation process. The preparations drew on Ørsted’s experience in delivering offshore wind projects across multiple markets, as well as the expertise of Van Oord, which is responsible for carrying out this stage of the work.
This enabled the Baltica 2 project team to develop solutions designed to minimise key risks related to factors. This included the installation sequence, the availability of components and installation vessels, logistics, and the coordination of offshore activities. This collaborative approach enabled the safe and timely installation of all 111 foundations.
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Complex installation campaign
The Baltica 2 monopiles are up to 100 metres long, between 9.5 and 10.5 metres in diameter, and weigh approximately 1900 tonnes each. Their installation required close coordination across the entire supply chain, from manufacturing and transport to offshore logistics, specialist vessel operations and weather planning.
Van Oord deployed its specialist offshore installation vessels Svanen and Aeolus. By combining the capabilities of both vessels, the company maximises installation efficiency and maintained a consistent pace of execution. The dual-vessel approach enabled multiple activities to be performed in parallel. This supported efficient offshore operations and helping to keep the project on schedule.
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Stronger position in Polish offshore wind
Offshore wind deployment is accelerating in the Baltic Sea. The completion of the foundation installation campaign reinforces Van Oord’s growing role in Poland’s emerging offshore wind sector. Before Baltica 2, the company was also involved in the Baltic Power offshore wind farm, its first offshore wind project in Poland.
Picture: Monopile installation with offshore instalation vessel Svanen (photo by Van Oord).
