Cadeler expands offshore wind installation fleet

The state-of-the-art vessel joins Cadeler’s expanding fleet of next-generation wind installation vessels (WIV) and will immediately mobilise to Ørsted’s Hornsea 3 offshore windfarm in the North Sea.

“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,” said Mikkel Gleerup, CEO of Cadeler.

Advanced design

Constructed at COSCO’s Qidong shipyard in China, the vessel was delivered on budget and ahead of schedule, achieving more than 3.5 million safe working hours during the build.

Its advanced A-class design is engineered for the next generation of offshore windfarms, boasting a 5,600 m² deck, a payload capacity exceeding 18,000 tonnes, and a main crane lifting over 3,300 tonnes.

Capable of carrying and installing up to six XXL monopile foundations per load, Wind Ally combines scale and efficiency to cut transit times and boost installation speed.

Ørsted’s Hornsea 3 offshore windfarm in the North Sea. There, Wind Ally will handle the entire transport and installation (T&I) scope for offshore monopile foundations, a first for the company and a strategic leap into full-service foundations delivery.

Wind Ally is the first of three A-class newbuilds, with sister vessels Wind Ace and Wind Apex scheduled for delivery in 2026 and 2027.

Business is booming for Cadeler, by mid-2027, the operator said it expects to operate a 12-vessel fleet, one of the largest in the offshore renewables sector.