Van Oord’s heavy lift installation vessel Svanen has successfully installed the first monopile at the Baltic Power offshore wind farm, located 23 kilometres north of the Polish coast. The wind farm features the new generation of wind turbines, with a generating capacity of 15 megawatts. After a recent upgrade, including an extension of its gantry crane by 25 metres, the Svanen is ready to install the foundations for this new generation of wind turbines.

Offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea play a key role in Poland’s energy transition and are helping to improve the country’s energy security. Baltic Power is Van Oord’s first offshore wind project in Poland. Developers ORLEN and Northland Power contracted Van Oord for the transport and installation of 78 foundations, consisting of a monopile fitted with a transition piece. With a production capacity of up to 1.2 gigawatts, the Baltic Power offshore wind farm is expected to ultimately supply renewable energy to more than 1.5 million households in Poland. The wind farm is expected to be completed in 2026.

The Svanen has recently undergone a major upgrade. Among other improvements, the gantry crane has been extended by 25 metres, making it one of the largest heavy lift installation vessels worldwide. As wind farm technology evolves to meet the growing global demand for renewable energy, turbines and their foundations are becoming increasingly larger. Thanks to this upgrade, Van Oord is well equipped to handle this increase in scale. The Svanen has an extensive track record and has already installed the vast majority of monopiles for offshore wind projects in the Baltic Sea. Besides its impressive lifting height and significant lifting capacity, the vessel’s limited draught makes it well suited for projects in this region. The Svanen has already played a leading role in several Baltic projects, including Danish Kriegers Flak, Baltic 2, Arkona and Baltic Eagle.