Cadeler’s Next-Gen Turbine Installer Delivered Ahead of Schedule, Ready for Hornsea 3

Copenhagen-based offshore wind installation specialist Cadeler has announced the successful delivery of Wind Ally, the company’s first A-class vessel, ahead of schedule and on budget. The vessel represents a significant milestone in Cadeler’s fleet expansion strategy and will immediately deploy to Ørsted’s Hornsea 3 project, set to become the world’s largest offshore wind farm.

Wind Ally, delivered Thursday, becomes the ninth vessel in Cadeler’s growing fleet of wind installation vessels. The vessel was constructed at the Cosco shipyard in Qidong, China, over a two-year period with an impressive safety record of more than 3.5 million safe working hours.

The delivery marks Cadeler’s strategic expansion into full-service foundation installation. For the first time, the company will handle the entire transport and installation scope for offshore monopile foundations at Hornsea 3, positioning Cadeler as a comprehensive service provider in the foundations market.

“With Wind Ally now delivered ahead of schedule and immediately deployed to this landmark project, we are taking a decisive step into a new chapter for Cadeler,” said Mikkel Gleerup, CEO of Cadeler. “Over the past year, we have built the needed capabilities to take on the full foundations scope. Establishing an entirely new department of dedicated specialists and investing in the design of vessels tailored for XXL monopiles has been a huge effort across the company.”

The A-class vessel features impressive technical specifications designed to meet the increasing scale of offshore wind components. Wind Ally boasts a deck space of 5,600 m², a payload exceeding 18,000 tonnes, and a main crane capable of lifting above 3,300 tonnes at 39 meters. This capacity allows the vessel to transport and install up to six sets of XXL monopile foundations per load, significantly improving efficiency and sustainability by reducing transit time and accelerating installation.

Another key feature of the A-class design is its hybrid versatility, allowing conversion between foundation installation and wind turbine generator installation. The vessel can accommodate up to 130 crew members and installation technicians.

Wind Ally was officially named at a ceremony on Wednesday, attended by senior leaders from Cadeler and industry partners. The vessel design resulted from collaboration between Cadeler and key partners including COSCO, GustoMSC, NOV, Kongsberg, Huisman, and MAN Energy.

Hornsea 3, where Wind Ally will begin operations after mobilization, is set to become the world’s largest offshore wind farm. The project will deliver 2.9 GW of renewable energy, enough to power more than three million UK homes. Cadeler will contribute significantly to the project by delivering the full foundation transportation and installation scope and installing half of the associated wind turbines.

“With three Cadeler vessels on hire to deliver both the foundation and turbine transportation and installation scopes, we are proud to play a pivotal role in Ørsted’s ambitious Hornsea 3 project,” noted Gleerup. “This project builds on a strong partnership that spans more than a decade. It is a natural continuation of the trust and collaboration we have built together.”

Wind Ally is the first of three A-class newbuilds ordered by Cadeler. The second vessel, Wind Ace, is scheduled for delivery in the second half of 2026, followed by Wind Apex in 2027. By mid-2027, Cadeler projects it will operate a 12-vessel fleet, establishing it as the industry’s largest and most versatile offshore wind installation fleet.

The company’s strategic expansion comes at a time when the offshore wind sector faces increasing pressure to deploy larger turbines and foundations more efficiently to meet global renewable energy targets.

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