Van Oord opts for Azipod propulsion for wind installation vessel

Rotterdam-based Van Oord has chosen Azipod® propulsion for its new offshore wind installation vessel, Boreas. The jack-up vessel will have four Azipod units with total power of 18 MW as components of a digital ABB Ability^TM package comprising advanced power, automation, and control systems.

The 175m-long vessel, currently under construction at Yantai CIMC Raffles Shipyard in China, is expected to be one of the most technologically advanced ships of its type and is due for delivery in the second half of 2024. It will be capable of lifting more than 3,000 tonnes and its 126m-long legs will enable it to install turbines as large as 20 MW in water depths up to 70m.

Rune Braastad, global business line manager, Marine Systems at ABB Marine & Ports, said: “We are proud to have been chosen to provide power and propulsion for Boreas, based on our experience in the offshore jack-up vessel market and our ability to tailor products and solutions to the needs of the owner, operator and shipyard. This project further confirms that our integrated package comprising power, energy storage, automation, control and digital solutions is the preferred choice for vessels that need to be future-proof and environmentally friendly.”