Van Oord’s new offshore wind installation vessel Boreas has been officially christened in Rotterdam by the city’s mayor, Carola Schouten. Named after the Greek god of the northern winds, the vessel is purpose-built to transport and install next-generation foundations and turbines for offshore wind farms. The Boreas is 175 metres long and equipped with a crane featuring a 155-metre boom capable of lifting more than 3,000 tonnes. It can install offshore wind turbines of over 20 MW.
The vessel runs on dual fuel-methanol engines, reducing carbon emissions by more than 78%. It also features Selective Catalytic Reduction to cut nitrogen oxide emissions and is fitted with a battery system exceeding 6,000 kilowatt-hours. Following the ceremony, the Boreas will begin work on the 1.6GW Nordseecluster project in the German North Sea, a joint venture between RWE (51%) and Norges Bank Investment Management (49%). Van Oord’s contract includes installing 104 extended monopiles and scour protection.
