Van Oord, a leading player in the offshore wind sector, has officially received the Boreas, a state-of-the-art offshore installation vessel, during a celebratory event at the Yantai CIMC Raffles Offshore Ltd. shipyard in China. The occasion marked a significant milestone, with stakeholders, partners, and suppliers gathering to honor the culmination of this ambitious project.
The Boreas, aptly named after the Greek god of the Northern winds, is designed to revolutionize offshore wind farm construction. At 175 meters long and equipped with a towering 155-meter boom capable of lifting over 3,000 tonnes, the vessel stands out as a giant in its class. With four legs each extending 126 meters, it can work in water depths of up to 70 meters. This engineering marvel is tailor-made to handle the next generation of offshore wind turbines, with capacities of up to 20 MW, setting new standards for efficiency and capability in the industry.
One of the most striking features of the Boreas is its environmental foresight. As the first vessel of its kind to operate on methanol, a future-proof fuel, it slashes emissions by an impressive 78%. This aligns with Van Oord’s commitment to sustainability while positioning the company at the forefront of innovation in green energy solutions.
During the handover ceremony, Harold Linssen, Director of Van Oord’s Ship Management Department, expressed his enthusiasm: “The delivery of the Boreas marks a major milestone for Van Oord. I am pleased to celebrate this together with all those who contributed to the construction of the vessel in China. We are looking forward to welcoming this beautiful vessel to our fleet!”
Echoing the sentiment, Zhao Hui, Vice President of CIMC Raffles Group, highlighted the vessel’s significance: “We’re happy to work together with Van Oord and deliver the state-of-the-art vessel Boreas. Undoubtedly, Boreas is a benchmark for the whole offshore wind industry for many years to come and will play a significant role in the transportation and installation of the next generation of foundations and up to 20MW offshore wind turbines at sea.”
Following its delivery, the Boreas will embark on its journey to the Netherlands, where final outfitting will take place. This phase includes the installation of specialized equipment for storing and managing wind turbine foundations. The vessel will also undergo its christening before becoming commercially available in the third quarter of 2025.
With its arrival, the Boreas represents a bold step forward for offshore wind energy, underlining the industry’s shift toward more sustainable and scalable solutions. As it prepares to set sail, this vessel is poised to reshape the capabilities of offshore wind construction, cementing Van Oord’s reputation as a leader in the field.
