Van Oord has successfully installed the 21 monopiles for the Windanker offshore wind farm in the German Baltic Sea, a major step forward in the expansion of Iberdrola‘ s Baltic Hub. These structures were manufactured by Navantia-Windar in Spain, and are up to 86.6 meters long and weigh more than 2,100 tons, making them the largest the company has managed to date.
The installation of the monopiles at the Windanker offshore wind farm
The recent modernization of the installation vessel Svanen was essential to complete the operation from the port of Rønne in Denmark. The sequence included loading, towing and lifting, in coordination with MTC cranes and specialized tugs.
During pile installation, Van Oord applied measures to mitigate underwater noise, including bubble screens and Hydro Sound Damper systems. These technologies aim to minimize the impact on sound-sensitive marine species, in line with European environmental regulations.
In partnership with Hydrotechnik Offshore and Iberdrolacompressors powered by renewable fuels were used, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 86 %. In addition, a pilot project was carried out with Skyports Drone Services to transport supplies by long-range drone flights, beyond line of sight(BVLOS), avoiding the use of auxiliary vessels.
The Windanker development will contribute an additional 315 MW to the Baltic Hub, with the capacity to supply more than 300,000 homes with offshore wind power. The installation of the monopiles represents the first block of construction; subsequent phases will include transition pieces (scheduled for December 2025) and the laying of cables between turbines and the offshore substation in 2026.