Maersk Supply Service Secures Contract Win, Order Second Wind

Maersk Supply Service will order second Wind Turbine Installation Vessel (WTIV) after securing an additional contract to install wind turbines at a U.S. project under development by Equinor and BP.

Maersk Supply Service ordered its first WTIV in March after being awarded the preffered supplier contract from Equinor and BP for their Empire Wind development. This second WTIV will support the two companies’ Beacon Wind development off Nantucket, Massachusetts.

“With this new agreement, we have secured a stable start for our new Wind Installation Vessel. We are very pleased that Equinor and bp have shown us the trust to extend the award and look forward to future collaboration,” says Chief Commercial Officer at Maersk Supply Service Jonas Munch Agerskov.

The WTIV on order was designed in-house by Maersk Supply Service and will work in conjunction with Jones Act-compliant feeder barges which will be supplied and operated by Kirby Corporation. By using the feeder vessel concept, Maersk Supply Service says it will be able operate 30% more efficiently than using conventional jack-up vessels. Steel cutting of the WTIV is set for later this year at SembCorp Marine in Singapore with delivery expected in 2025.

Wind turbine installation at the Beacon Wind farm is expected to begin in 2028.

Similar to the Empire Wind project, Maersk Supply Service says it will also partner with Kirby for the feeder barge which will involve the addition of third feeder barge.

The proposed Beacon Wind farm will be located approximately 20 miles southwest Nantucket, Massachusett and will be developed in two phases that combined will produce 2 gigawatts of offshore wind energy. Like the Empire Wind project, the Beacon Wind development still requires federal approval.