New SRI vessel breaks records in size

Windpiper will be the largest SRI vessel in the industry, Boskalis says, bolstering the company’s position in a niche market.

Scheduled for delivery in early 2026, the vessel is being developed by converting an existing new vessel ‘under the expert supervision of Boskalis’.

The giant vessel will be 227 metres long and 40 metres wide, with seven thrusters and a total installed power of more than 31,000kW. It will also have more than 100 single-occupancy cabins.

“The vessel’s substantial capacity, divided over two holds, makes it well-suited for projects with a long transit distance between the rock loading facilities and the project site, such as those along the North American East Coast, the Baltic Sea and the Southern North Sea,” the company’s statement says.

“This large capacity minimises the number of round trips required, ultimately leading to less emissions and lower costs per installed volume of rock. It can also comfortably accommodate client representatives alongside the onboard crew.”

Boskalis believes that converting existing vessels to serve different or extra purposes is a sustainable approach that extends the life of hulls and speeds up a vessel’s journey to market.