New Cadeler X-Class Turbine Installation Vessels for Sofia Wind Park
Largest Jacking Capacity in the Industry
NOV have signed a contract with COSCO SHIPPING Heavy Industry and Cadeler to supply two GustoMSC™ NG-20000X self-propelled wind turbine installation jack-up vessel designs, which will be known as the Cadeler X-Class.
The Cadeler X-Class is designed with 5,600 m2 of deck space and a carrying capacity of more than 17,600 tons, the largest in the industry. This new hybrid, DNV-certified, cyber-secure jack-up vessel is designed to transport and install seven complete 15 MW turbine sets or five sets of 20-plus MW turbines, a significant upgrade from prior designs. This expanded carrying capacity will reduce the number of vessel trips required per development and accelerate installation speed, thereby improving project economics while reducing the total carbon footprint of the installation process.
In addition to the overall jack-up design, NOV will supply the jacking system that lifts the vessel and cargo above the waterline to safely install wind turbines. The jacking systems will incorporate NOV’s proprietary advanced regenerative power system technology that will provide fuel savings and emission reductions.
The first NG-20000X jack-up vessel is contracted for one of the largest offshore windfarms in the world—RWE’s 1.4 GW Sofia wind park – and is scheduled for delivery in the third quarter of 2024.
“The expansion of our fleet is an important strategic priority for Cadeler to ensure that we can meet the demand we are seeing from clients for greater installation capacity. In order to provide energy efficient vessels with very advanced technical specifications, we need to ensure that the new vessels will be as cutting-edge as the turbines we will be installing. Therefore, we have chosen to collaborate with the best sub-suppliers in the market. NOV has proven to be a good partner in connection with other projects in the past and we are therefore confident that NOV will provide the right jacking systems for the new X-class vessels, to support the current and future demand of the industry,” Mikkel Gleerup, CEO of Cadeler A/S, said.
“NOV is honored to partner with Cadeler and COSCO as we design and deliver the next generation of wind turbine installation jack-up vessels. These vessels, which will be a key part of the next stage in the evolution of offshore wind energy, are a perfect example of what comes from close collaboration with our customers and an unending desire to seek improvement,” Clay Williams, Chairman, President, and CEO, added.
In parallel, NOV is supplying new heavy-lift cranes for Cadeler’s existing O-Class vessels, Wind Orca and Wind Osprey, to upgrade the existing fleet’s capabilities to handle the next-generation of turbines. With the upgraded O-Class and new X-Class vessels, Cadeler’s fleet will lead the industry in both loading capacity and the ability to transport, service, and install the next-generation offshore wind turbines.
