Cadeler Orders Third A-Class Jack-Up

May 22, 2024, by Adnan Memija

Cadeler has placed an order with China’s COSCO Heavy Industries for its third A-class wind farm installation vessel, scheduled to be delivered in the first half of 2027.

Cadeler has entered into a binding contract for the manufacture and delivery of its third A-class vessel, Wind Apex. The contract price for the delivery of this third A-class is approximately USD 400 million.

Cadeler already has two P-class, two M-class, and two A-class vessels under construction. The third vessel will be built on similar specifications to the first two A-class ships, with a deck space of 5,600 square metres, a payload of more than 17,000 tonnes, and a main crane capacity to be disclosed at a later date.

The A-class ships will be able to transport and install seven complete 15 MW turbine sets per load or six sets of 2XL monopile foundations, cutting down the number of transits needed for each project.

Additionally, the vessels can be converted from foundation installation vessels to wind turbine installation ships.

“The decision to build a third A-class vessel is based on the strong market demand for assets specialising in installing foundations. We have already signed firm contracts and entered a long-term agreement with Orsted for our first A-class vessel from 2027 to 2030 and we are in advanced contract negotiations to secure capacity from our second A-class,” said Mikkel Gleerup, CEO of Cadeler.

The P- and A-class vessels are built in close cooperation with Cadeler’s strategic partners, which include GustoMSC NOV, Kongsberg, Huismann, and MAN Energy.

The other two A-class vessels, Wind Ally and Wind Ace, are expected to arrive by the third quarter of 2025 and 2026, respectively.