Posted on October 9, 2026
The offshore wind sector continues to advance on multiple fronts, with project milestones, vessel investments and floating wind initiatives highlighting activity across global markets.
Project execution:
Boskalis secures Zeevonk cable installation contract
Boskalis will transport and install the inter-array cable system for phase 1 of the Zeevonk offshore wind farm in the Dutch North Sea, the company reported Oct. 1.
The two-phase, 2-GW development, 45 miles northwest of the port of IJmuiden, is a joint venture between Vattenfall and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners.
Boskalis’ work scope for phase 1, which is due to start operations in 2029, covers T&I of around 149 km of 66-kV inter-array cables, connecting 69 wind turbines throughout the development area; cable testing and termination activities; and installing cable protection systems.
The BOKA Ocean vessel will transport the cable from the manufacturing site in Eemshaven, the Netherlands, to the wind farm, and will also perform all offshore installations.
Other duties under the contract include survey activities and seabed intervention work, to be conducted by a Boskalis subsea rock installation vessel. Engineering should begin shortly, with offshore rock placement currently planned for 2029.
Cadeler completes turbine installations for Baltic Power wind farm
Cadeler has installed all 76 wind turbines at the 1.2-GW Baltic Power offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea, the company reported Oct. 7.
Two jackup vessels, Wind Osprey and Wind Mover, installed the 76 Vestas V236-15 MW turbines, with a total height of more than 260 m and over an area of more than 43,700 sq m.
Baltic Power, a joint venture between Polish energy utility ORLEN and Canada’s Northland Power, is now in the final stages of preparation ahead of full commissioning and operation.
First power was generated and sent to the Polish grid in July. At peak, the development should supply up to 4TWh annually, accounting for 3% of the country’s current electricity needs.
Ocean Breeze acquires Germany’s pioneering alpha ventus wind farm
Ocean Breeze Energy has agreed to acquire the alpha ventus offshore wind farm from EWE, RWE and Vattenfall, according to an Oct. 1 news release.
Commissioned in 2010, the 60-MW project was Germany’s first offshore wind farm. Following the transaction, Ocean Breeze Energy plans to continue operating the facility beyond its originally planned lifespan.
Vessels and marine logistics:
New generation of CSOVs targets lower-emission operations
Acta Marine reported Oct. 1 that it has staged a naming ceremony for Acta Hercules, the second of four new commissioning service operation vessels (CSOVs) ordered by the company.
Acta Hercules, delivered earlier this year, is on a long-term charter to support offshore wind operations for Vestas. It features various technologies to support lower-emission operations, including methanol dual-fuel engines.
The company has since received the third CSOV, Acta Aquarius, with a fourth vessel due later this year.
Battery technology expands hybrid vessel capabilities
Siemens Energy has contracted EST-Floattech to supply a battery system for a ‘CSOV Plus’, which operator Marco Polo Marine is constructing at its own shipyard in Batam, Indonesia, according to an Oct. 1 EST-Floattech news release.
Under the terms of the contract, Siemens Energy is system integrator for the vessel’s hybrid power plant. EST-Floattech will supply Octopus HE modules with a capacity of more than 1 MWh, supporting the vessel’s hybrid and DP operations.
The CSOV Plus, designed by Salt Ship Design (Norway), is said to be the first CSOV developed specifically for operations in both offshore wind and oil and gas projects.
The CSOV Plus’ layout enables the battery capacity to be extended at a later date to a 20-MWh package, allowing the vessel to sail fully electric.
Marco Polo Marine’s Taiwan-based subsidiary PKR Offshore will operate the CSOV Plus on behalf of Siemens Gamesa under a multi-year framework agreement covering various wind projects offshore Taiwan.
MacGregor wins equipment package for new CSOV fleet
Nantong Rainbow Offshore & Engineering Equipment Co has contracted MacGregor to supply 3D motion-compensated cranes and Horizon gangway systems for four CSOVs, MacGregor reported Oct. 6.
These are due to be delivered to Integrated Wind Solutions subsidiary IWS Fleet during 2029 and 2030.
The vessels will expand the Skywalker-class fleet of IWS Fleet from six to 10 CSOVs to support growing offshore wind activity.
Floating wind developments:
DeepWind project advances UK floating wind testing
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) have awarded EMEC a £3-million ($3.98-million) grant to advance development of DeepWind, a national floating and deepwater wind test site, according to an Oct. 5 EMEC news release.
Although the UK government is looking to extend offshore wind projects into deeper waters, many of the technologies required still need to be demonstrated at scale. Current test sites in Europe are said to lack the metocean conditions relevant to the UK floating offshore wind projects.
DeepWind will provide “plug-and-play” infrastructure in a representative environment in which deepwater and floating technologies can be tested, validated and de-risked prior to commercial deployment.
The grant will support engineering, environmental, regulatory and commercial work needed to reach a Final Investment Decision and prepare DeepWind for delivery by 2030.
Verlume’s Orah subsea battery completes hyperbaric testing
Verlume has completed hyperbaric testing of its Orah subsea energy storage system at JFD’s facility in Aberdeen, a key qualification milestone ahead of deployment at the OranjeWind offshore wind farm in the Dutch North Sea, according to an Oct. 1 press release.
The 500-kWh modular system is described as the world’s first grid-forming subsea battery designed to support offshore wind operations.
Testing verified the enclosure’s integrity and performance under representative subsea pressure conditions, helping de-risk deployment of the technology for the RWE and TotalEnergies-backed project.
Study identifies pathways to lower floating wind costs
Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult published a new report on Oct. 5 about the steps needed to deliver cost-competitive floating offshore wind.
To accelerate development, the report presents a method for understanding what is driving high costs, and how these could be brought down. It suggests a sequence of actions as the industry matures.
Standardizing floating substructure designs, the authors state, could deliver cost savings of up to 17% (there are currently over 100 designs in the market). This, they claim, would improve confidence in the supply chain and reduce technical uncertainty.
The report also highlights cost of capital as the single biggest measure for cost reduction – if brought into line with fixed wind, this could generate savings of nearly 20%. In total, the authors identified 21 potential cost reduction factors.
Over the longer term, cost reduction would depend on sustained deployment, and a consistent and committed project pipeline.
Sumitomo, TFI Marine partner on floating wind mooring technology
Sumitomo Corp. Global Metals and TFI Marine have formed a strategic partnership to support deployment of next-generation mooring systems for floating offshore wind projects in Japan and other Asia-Pacific markets, according to an Oct. 7 press release.
The collaboration will focus on commercialization of SeaSpring, a mooring-line component designed to reduce loads and fatigue, potentially lowering installation requirements and overall project costs for floating wind developments.
Subsea Micropiles expands floating wind collaboration
Finally, Subsea Micropiles has strengthened its collaboration with Pentland Floating Offshore Wind Farm in northern Scotland, with plans to advance anchor engineering and site investigation to achieve cost and risk reduction in floating offshore wind, according to an Oct. 5 company news release.
The focus will be on site investigations, anchor design, including advanced cyclical loading analysis and offshore installation.
In addition, Subsea Micropiles will apply its zonal survey approach in an attempt to deliver a fuller understanding of ground conditions and support better-informed anchor design.
The company’s Acoustic Zoom technology is designed to provide high-resolution volumetric imaging of the subsurface, helping to bridge the gap between conventional geophysical surveys and point-specific geotechnical investigation.
Pentland Floating Offshore Wind Farm is under development by Highland Wind Limited, which is majority owned by a fund managed by CIP. Copenhagen Offshore Partners (COP) is leading the project from its Global Floating Excellence Centre in Edinburgh.
Richard Copeland, global head of Floating Wind for COP, said the collaboration agreement also provides a framework to explore potential opportunities for Subsea Micropiles’ capabilities across COP’s broader international portfolio.
