Huisman has signed two contracts to provide cranes and installation equipment for Cadeler’s A-Class offshore wind farm installation vessels.
The first contract, awarded by COSCO, is for a 3,000+-mt leg-encircling crane and a 40-mt pedestal-mounted crane for Cadeler’s latest A-Class vessel.
The ship is said to be capable of installing the largest foundation dimensions anticipated in the offshore wind industry.
The second contract, signed with Cadeler, involves providing a monopile storage and upending system for Wind Ally , another A-Class jack-up vessel in Cadeler’s fleet.
Huisman will also deliver the monopile gripper, main crane, and auxiliary crane for this vessel.
The Monopile Storage System is designed to maximise monopile storage on the jack-up, allowing Cadeler to transport up to five monopiles, each up to 12.5 metres in diameter, in one trip. It features adjustable storage cradles that accommodate various monopile diameters and can be height-adjusted to keep them level with the vessel, Huisman said.
The Upending Frame supports monopiles ranging from 80 metres to 120 metres in length, with features including a crane automation mode that aids in maintaining the monopile’s position and retainers that secure the monopile during upending.
Both orders will be built at Huisman’s production facility in Zhangzhou, China.
“We are honoured to expand our partnerships with COSCO and Cadeler. Our track record in designing and building cranes for the F-, M-, and P-Class vessels has now culminated in these exciting projects for the A-Class. These vessels will be designed to reduce project transits and enhance operational efficiency,” said David Roodenburg , CEO of Huisman.
In May, Cadeler announced that it had placed an order with China’s COSCO Heavy Industries for its third A-class vessel, scheduled to be delivered in the first half of 2027.
The company already has two P-class, two M-class, and two A-class vessels under construction.
The other two A-class vessels Wind Ally and Wind Ace are expected to arrive by the third quarter of 2025 and 2026, respectively.
In April, the company signed a firm long-term lease agreement with Ørsted for an A-Class newbuild wind farm installation vessel.