On 18 June 2025, the Boreas (flying the Dutch flag), Van Oord’s new offshore wind installation vessel, was officially christened in Rotterdam. With a length of 175 metres and a main crane featuring a 155-metre-high boom capable of lifting over 3,000 tonnes, the Boreas is currently the largest offshore wind installation vessel globally. It is purpose-built for the transport and installation of next-generation foundations and wind turbines, including units exceeding 20 MW.
The vessel is equipped to support the increasing scale of offshore wind developments. Its capabilities allow for the installation of turbines with dimensions comparable to the height of the Eiffel Tower, meeting the evolving demands of large-scale wind projects.
In terms of sustainability, Boreas is among the first vessels in its class to operate on dual-fuel engines capable of running on methanol. When operating on methanol, the vessel achieves a reduction in CO₂ emissions of over 78%. The vessel is also equipped with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) systems to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions and features a battery system of over 6,000 kilowatt-hours to support further fuel savings and emission reductions during operations.
Boreas will commence operations at the Nordseecluster wind farm in the German North Sea. The project, a joint venture between RWE (51%) and Norges Bank Investment Management (49%), involves the installation of 104 monopiles and scour protection. The wind farm cluster is expected to generate approximately 1.6 GW of renewable energy, supplying the equivalent of 1.6 million German households.
In conjunction with the vessel’s launch, Van Oord announced that its climate targets have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), making it the first marine contractor to align with the 1.5°C target of the Paris Agreement. This approval confirms that Van Oord’s emission reduction plans meet current international climate science standards.
Source: Van Oord