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Lamprell has started manufacturing transition pieces for RWE’s Norfolk Vanguard offshore wind developments in the UK, marking another milestone for one of Europe’s largest fixed bottom wind projects.
The fabrication work is taking place at Lamprell’s yard in the United Arab Emirates, where the company confirmed that steel cutting for the Norfolk Vanguard West transition pieces began in December 2025. Manufacturing is now underway, with the first completed units expected to be loaded out during the second half of 2026.
Reuters Headline
RWE advances Norfolk Vanguard projects as Lamprell starts transition piece fabrication
The contract between Lamprell and RWE covers the manufacture and supply of 184 transition pieces, split evenly between Norfolk Vanguard West and Norfolk Vanguard East. Lamprell will also handle transportation of the structures to RWE’s designated marshalling port.
Transition pieces may not attract the same attention as wind turbines, but they are the critical connection between monopile foundations and turbine towers. Without them, the offshore installation chain simply stops. For heavy lift and project cargo operators, they also represent a major stream of oversized steel movements requiring specialized transport planning and port coordination.
Vanguard East Production Scheduled for Q3
Lamprell said fabrication for Norfolk Vanguard East is scheduled to begin during the third quarter of 2026. The two wind farms are located between 50 and 80 kilometres off the Norfolk coast and are planned to deliver 1,380 MW each.
The projects were originally developed by Vattenfall, before being sold to RWE in stages during 2023 and 2024.
Earlier this year, RWE secured Contracts for Difference for both projects in the UK government’s seventh allocation round. The strike price was set at GBP 91.20 per MWh, equivalent to roughly EUR 105.25 per MWh.
That award helped move the developments closer to final investment approval. RWE subsequently announced an agreement with investment firm KKR, which will acquire a 50 percent stake in both projects. The company expects to make a final investment decision during the summer of 2026.
Turbine Orders Add Pressure to Offshore Supply Chain
In February and March, RWE also confirmed firm turbine orders with Vestas for 92 V236 15.0 MW turbines for each project.
The scale of the combined developments continues to place pressure on offshore wind manufacturing capacity and heavy transport logistics across Europe and the Middle East. With foundations, transition pieces, towers, and blades all moving through specialized supply chains, timing has become as important as steel production itself. One delayed component can ripple through installation schedules like a missed tide window at port.
