RWE has signed an agreement with Jan De Nul Group to secure the long-term use of two next-generation installation vessels for future offshore wind foundation and turbine construction projects.
RWE will have exclusive use to a pair of two specialised installation vessels, Les Alizés and Voltaire. Les Alizés has been chartered from 2025 for more than five years; it has the ability to lift up to 5,000 tonnes and has a deck loading capacity of 61,000 tonnes. RWE plans to first deploy this vessel at its 1 GW offshore project, Thor, off Denmark.
Jack-up vessel Voltaire has a crane capacity of 3,200 tonnes and approximately 130 m-long legs, making it suitable for wind farm work in deep waters. It has been chartered to RWE for more than four years, from 2027 onwards. Subject to the project’s final investment decision, RWE plans to first use this vessel to install the turbines at its Hollandse Kust West VII wind farm off the Dutch coast.
Sven Utermöhlen, ceo at RWE Offshore Wind, said: “Europe needs more offshore wind power to reach its ambitious climate targets. We are already making a significant contribution and resolutely driving forward the future build-out of offshore wind in Europe and globally. Through this strategic partnership, RWE has taken a big step in securing the necessary installation vessels and services to deliver our large-scale offshore wind farms Thor and Hollandse Kust West VII, as well as further projects to come. These kinds of agreements are exactly what we need against the backdrop of the challenging market situation.
Furthermore, Jan De Nul Group awarded Huisman a contract for the delivery of a 3,500-tonne capacity monopile spreader bar.
This is the third such bar on order with Huisman. Deployed in combination with the recently delivered 3,000-tonne Huisman leg encircling crane onboard Voltaire and the Huisman tub mounted crane onboard the Les Alizés, it will enable Jan De Nul Group to handle the largest monopiles in a safe and controlled manner.
The remote controlled monopile spreader is powered by an on-board battery pack with integrated charger system for different external charging supplies.
