Wind Ace joins Cadeler’s fleet as its eleventh offshore wind installation vessel following an on-time, on-budget delivery and an accident-free construction
Cadeler has strengthened its offshore wind installation fleet with the delivery of Wind Ace, the company’s eleventh wind installation vessel and the second of three advanced A-class newbuilds, further enhancing its capability to support the next generation of large-scale offshore wind projects.
Delivered on schedule and within budget, Wind Ace was built over the past two years at COSCO Shipping Offshore’s shipyard in Qidong, China. The construction programme also achieved a significant safety milestone, recording more than 3.5 million working hours without a lost time accident.
Following mobilisation, Wind Ace will prepare for deployment on ScottishPower Renewables’ East Anglia TWO offshore wind farm in the UK. Cadeler will provide the transportation and installation of both foundations and wind turbines for the project, further building on the company’s experience as a full-scope offshore wind installation partner.
The vessel was officially named earlier this year by her godmother, Lisa Western of ScottishPower Renewables, recognising the close partnership between the two companies and Wind Ace’s future role in the delivery of East Anglia TWO.
As the second vessel in Cadeler’s A-class series, Wind Ace is purpose-built for the transportation and installation of both XXL monopile foundations and next-generation wind turbine generators. The vessel’s hybrid design provides the flexibility to efficiently perform both foundation and wind turbine installation scopes, supporting the increasing scale and complexity of offshore wind developments.
East Anglia TWO is a 960 MW offshore wind farm being developed by ScottishPower Renewables, part of the Iberdrola Group, in the North Sea off the south-east coast of England. Once operational, the wind farm will generate enough renewable electricity to power the equivalent of almost one million homes. Under firm contracts announced in 2024, Cadeler will provide the transportation and installation of all 64 wind turbine generators and their foundations. Offshore works are scheduled to commence in 2027, with Wind Ace supporting the project alongside one of Cadeler’s O-class vessels.
Mikkel Gleerup, CEO of Cadeler, comments: “The delivery of Wind Ace marks another important step in our long-term strategy to build the industry’s most capable and versatile fleet. Together with her sister vessel Wind Ally, Wind Ace strengthens our ability to support the next generation of offshore wind projects. As turbines and foundations grow larger and projects become more complex, our clients need full-scope installation partners with the capabilities to deliver safely and reliably. We look forward to seeing her begin work for ScottishPower Renewables, delivering another significant offshore wind farm in UK waters.”
With the delivery of Wind Ace, Cadeler operates a fleet of eleven offshore wind installation vessels. The company’s third A-class vessel, Wind Apex, is scheduled for delivery in the first half of 2027.
