Van Oord’s brand new cable-laying vessel Calypso has made its official debut by installing cables on its first offshore wind project. After the Nexus, the Calypso is Van Oord’s second cable-laying vessel. Custom-built and featuring the latest sustainable technologies, the vessel is a key strategic addition to Van Oord’s offshore wind fleet. The Calypso’s first project is RWE’s prestigious Sofia Offshore Wind Farm in the UK, one of the largest offshore wind projects in the world.
By investing in state-of-the-art equipment like the Calypso, Van Oord is anticipating an increase in scale in the offshore wind industry and contributing to the energy transition. The Calypso is purpose-built to install inter-array grid and export cables for offshore wind projects worldwide, including high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cables. Van Oord’s highly innovative cable trenchers can also be operated from the vessel.
The Calypso is equipped with not just one, but two cable carousels, one on deck and another below deck, providing a total cable-carrying capacity of 8,000 tonnes and capable of laying two HVDC cables simultaneously. The vessel’s design incorporates the latest sustainable technologies to reduce its carbon footprint. Apart from the ability to run on biofuel, this hybrid vessel has future-ready engines with built-in flexibility to anticipate e-fuels. It has a large battery pack, a shore supply connection, and a state-of-the-art energy management system.
Arnoud Kuis, Managing Director Offshore Energy: ‘With the Calypso now operational, we have significantly strengthened our cable installation fleet. This milestone reflects our commitment to continuously reinforcing our leading position in the market by investing in sustainable technology. With two cable installation vessels at our disposal, along with our extensive experience and expertise, we have the resources and flexibility needed to provide value to our clients and excel in this dynamic industry. It’s exciting to see the Calypso in action, installing its first cables on the Sofia project, and we look forward to its successful deployment on many more offshore wind projects.’
The Sofia Offshore Wind Farm
The Sofia Offshore Wind Farm is being constructed on Dogger Bank in the central North Sea, 195 kilometres from the North East coast of the UK. With a capacity of 1.4 GW, it will supply power to 1.2 million UK households. RWE has contracted Van Oord for the design, engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) of the monopile foundations and array cables for this project, with the Calypso installing a total of approximately 360 kilometres of inter-array cables. The wind farm is expected to be fully operational in 2026.
