Cadeler takes delivery of ‘all-in-one’ WIV
Cadelers first A-class vessel Wind Ally (Source: Cadeler)
Copenhagen-based Cadeler, a specialist in offshore wind engineering projects, has taken delivery of the first of three A-class wind installation vessels (WIV), the Wind Ally. The ship was named at a recent ceremony at Cosco’s shipyard in Qidong and has now been handed over prior to the voyage from Asia and its first project – installing foundations at Ørsted’s Hornsea 3 wind farm in the North Sea.
Cadeler claims that the Wind Ally and its two sisterships will have a direct impact on the efficiency of its offshore wind farm installation processes. The company will now be able to take on the entire transport and installation (T&I) process for offshore monopile foundations.
CEO, Mikkel Gleerup, said: “With Wind Ally now delivered ahead of schedule and immediately deployed to this landmark project, we are taking a decisive step into a new chapter for Cadeler. Over the past year, we have built the needed capabilities to take on the full foundations scope.
“Establishing an entirely new department of dedicated specialists and investing in the design of vessels tailored for XXL monopiles has been a huge effort across the company,” he continued. “Hornsea 3 will be the first project where we bring all of this preparation together, and I am proud that we now stand ready to deliver the complete T&I of foundations as a trusted and long-term partner to Ørsted.”
The Wind Ally and its sisters have a deck area of 5,600m2, a payload of about 18,000 tonnes, and a main crane with a capacity of 3,300 tonnes at 39m. The Wind Ally will be able to transport and install six sets of XXL monopile foundations per load.
The vessel will have accommodation for 130 persons and its hybrid design will facilitate an easy switch between installing foundations and then wind turbine generators. This unique combination of capacity and flexibility makes the A-class ‘unmatched’ in the market today, the company claims.
