DEME has been awarded two contracts (1) from cable solutions provider Prysmian for the engineering and installation works for the IJmuiden Ver Alpha and Nederwiek 1 offshore grid systems in the Netherlands. This is the most extensive cabling award in DEME’s history and marks the company’s first project involving Prysmian’s 525 kV HVDC cable technology, featuring increased transmission capacity.

The contracts exemplify DEME’s integrated solutions approach, encompassing cable installation, landfall and rock placement, dredging, and marine infrastructure works. This includes the engineering and the installation works of two 12-km long 525 kV HVDC cable systems within the lake “Veerse Meer” and 126 km of 525 kV HVDC cable system offshore.

Additionally, DEME will carry out preparation and supporting works for IJmuiden Ver Alpha, comprising route preparation, surveys, landfalls and rock placement, as well as pre-sweeping and rock placement works for the Nederwiek 1 project. DEME will deploy a variety of vessels from its fleet, including cable installation vessels, hopper dredgers and a fallpipe vessel. In addition, the project will encompass the beach works and cofferdam structures at the cable landing locations.

The works are scheduled to begin in stages from 2025.

IJmuiden Ver Alpha and Nederwiek 1 are offshore grid connection systems operated by TenneT that will link two future offshore wind farms in the Dutch North Sea to the province of Zeeland in the southwestern part of the Netherlands. The first connection will be operational in 2029, and the second in 2030.

Philip Scheers, Business Unit Director at DEME Offshore, comments: “We are proud to be working with Prysmian on this landmark project in the Netherlands, which will ultimately deliver 4 GW of clean energy. This multidisciplinary project showcases the benefits of working with DEME. Our expertise in cable installation, dredging, rock placement and marine infrastructure works allows us to offer our clients an efficient, integrated solution. Our modern and versatile fleet is also ideally suited for such a complex project. We can provide cable installation vessels, hopper dredgers, and fallpipe vessels, all of which are operated by our own highly skilled and experienced crews. The entire team is looking forward to working closely with Prysmian to deliver a successful project.”

(1) The two contracts combined qualify as a large contract, representing a value of more than 300 million euro.