Offshore installation contractor Cadeler has placed an order to build a second F-class jack-up vessel.
The F-class has a deck space of 5,600 sq m and a payload of more than 17,600 tonnes. The main crane capacity will be disclosed at a later date, said Cadeler.
Cadeler currently has two X-class and one F-class vessels on order, which are set to be delivered from the second half of 2024. This additional F-class is expected to be delivered in the second half of 2026, brining Cadeler’s fleet of jack-up vessels up to six.
All vessels will be built by COSCO Heavy Industries in China and will sail under the Danish flag.
Cadeler’s ceo, Mikkel Gleerup, said: “The decision to build another F-class vessel is based on the strong market demand for assets specialising in installing foundations. Our yet-to-be-build F-class vessels have already been sought after by our customers.
“As announced in August, we have signed a firm contract with Ørsted and have also entered a long-term agreement with an undisclosed customer booking the F-class from 2027 to 2030.”
Both the X- and F-class vessels will be able to transport and install seven complete 15 MW turbine sets per load or six sets of XL monopile foundations, cutting down the number of transits needed for each project. In line with the X-class vessels, the F-class will cater for some of the largest dimensions in the offshore wind industry.
The X- and F-class vessels are built in close cooperation with Cadeler’s strategic partners, which include GustoMSC NOV, Kongsberg, Huisman and MAN Energy.
