Jan De Nul’s Next-Gen Offshore Wind Newbuild Sets Sail to Europe

January 19, 2023, by Adrijana Buljan

Jan De Nul’s next-generation floating offshore installation vessel, Les Alizés, sailed out of the China Merchants Heavy Industry’s (CMHI) Haimen shipyard in China on 19 January and is now on its way to Europe, where it will debut on Ørsted’s offshore wind farms in Germany.

The CMHI shipyard delivered the vessel to Jan De Nul on 16 January, some two years after the construction started at the CMHI Haimen shipyard and a year after the vessel was launched for the final phase of the construction.

Les Alizés, designed for the transport and installation of offshore wind turbine foundations, is now the largest heavy lift vessel in Jan De Nul’s fleet. The vessel is capable of installing XXL offshore wind components in floating conditions and with ultra-low emissions, according to the company.

The vessel sports a main crane of 5,000 tons, a deck loading capacity of 61,000 tons and a deck space of 9,300 m², enabling it to easily transport several heavier future foundations in one trip.

The vessel’s crane with Universal Quick Connector (UQC), developed by Huisman, is among the largest in its class, according to Jan De Nul. Furthermore, Les Alizés is also fitted with an innovative motion-compensated electrical pile gripper with an integrated guidance and survey system; and a fully automated monopile handling system which consists of a set of cradles, a skidding system, and an upending hinge to handle and install XXL monopiles.

Once the new vessel arrives in Europe, it will prepare for its first mission: the transport and installation of 107 monopile foundations and one offshore substation topside at Ørsted’s Gode Wind 3 and Borkum Riffgrund 3 offshore wind farms in Germany.

Located close to Ørsted’s existing offshore wind farms Borkum Riffgrund 1 & 2 and Gode Wind 1 & 2, both new projects will feature Siemens Gamesa 11 MW offshore wind turbines. The 900 MW Borkum Riffgrund 3 will be built simultaneously with the 242 MW Gode Wind 3, with Gode Wind 3 expected to be commissioned next year and Borkum Riffgrund 3 coming online in 2025.