Cadeler has completed the installation of the first fully commissioned monopile foundation at Ørsted’s Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm in the UK, marking a major milestone in the execution of one of the world’s largest offshore wind developments.
The installation is the first of 197 monopile foundations Cadeler will transport and install as part of the company’s full transportation and installation (T&I) scope for the project.
Once completed, Hornsea 3 will become the single largest offshore wind farm in the world, with a total capacity of 2.9 GW – capable of powering more than 3.3 million UK homes with renewable energy.
The Hornsea 3 project marks the first time Cadeler takes on the complete T&I scope for offshore monopile foundations.
The monopile itself was installed by Cadeler’s purpose-built A-class vessel, Wind Ally, while Wind Orca executed the installation of secondary steel.
The full commissioning scope was carried out by the service operation vessel ESVAGT FROUDE, operated by the Danish company ESVAGT. Boston Energy has delivered the post-installation commissioning and completion scope for the foundation.
As part of the broader Hornsea 3 installation scope, Cadeler will deploy three of its own specialist offshore wind installation vessels, including its first A-class newbuilding, Wind Ally, purpose-built to support the transportation and installation of XXL monopile foundations.
“This milestone is not just about the first structure in the ground – it represents an important step as we continue expanding into full-scope foundation transport and installation. Delivering projects at this scale requires close collaboration, detailed planning, and strong execution across every phase of the operation,” said Bradley Scott, Project Director at Cadeler.
To remind, Abu Dhabi-based state-owned sovereign investor Mubadala Investment Company invested $325 million earlier in May alongside a consortium led by Apollo Funds to acquire a stake in Ørsted’s Hornsea 3 offshore wind project.