‘Norse Wind’ blows in as latest mammoth in turbine installation

The vessel was built at CIMC Raffles in Singapore and designed by GustoMSC. It is designed to install monopiles weighing 3,000 tons, with a 3,200 ton crane enabling operation in water depths of up to 70 metres, ‘setting a new standard in lifting capacity, speed and efficiency’, according to DEME.

Norwegian offshore wind contractor Havfram, which was bought by DEME in April this year, kickstarted the build of the vessel in 2023. It is already contracted for several major wind projects for the first half of next year, DEME says.

“Norse Wind represents an important step in strengthening DEME’s position as a leading player in offshore wind installation,” said Even Larsen, Business Unit director Global WTG & O&M at DEME. “This state-of-the-art vessel enables us to deliver even larger and more complex projects, further enhancing our capabilities. We also acknowledge the excellent collaboration and craftsmanship demonstrated by the CIMC Raffles team throughout construction.”

The next generation of offshore wind turbines is already 26MW, as unveiled by the Chinese firm Dongfang Electric Corporation in August.

The company said it sets new world records for both single-unit capacity and rotor diameter (313 metres) of installed wind turbines, made from some 30,000 components and with a rotor swept area of 77,000 square metres.

Designed for medium- to high-wind offshore areas, each turbine generates as much electricity as a small wind farm, helping to lower investment and operating costs and accelerate the shift toward grid parity, Dongfang says.

“The ultra-long blades use an advanced aerodynamic-structural design that reduces load while improving efficiency and reliability, maximising wind energy capture.” it says. “The optimised transmission chain raises overall efficiency by more than 2 percent, while the three-level full-power conversion technology ensures high-quality electricity output.”

Norse Wind sister vessel Norse Energi is scheduled for delivery early next year.

“Together, these vessels will play a key role in delivering some of the largest offshore wind projects in the world in the coming years,” says DEME.