Van Oord’s new offshore installation vessel arrives in Europe

The vessel was built in China and is due to be named and then embark on its first offshore wind project.

Boreas is currently docked at TMA Logistics in the Port of Amsterdam, where the vessel will be completed and commissioned. The naming ceremony for the vessel will take place in Rotterdam in June. 

Van Oord managing director Maurits den Broeder said, “Welcoming Boreas to the Netherlands is a significant milestone for us after four years of hard work.”

Boreas is the largest offshore installation vessel of its kind. It is 175 m long with a crane capable of lifting more than 3,000 tonnes. With a 155-m boom, Boreas is purpose-built to transport and install next-generation wind turbines and foundations. 

Four jack-up legs, each measuring 126 m, allow the vessel to be jacked up and work in waters up to 70 m deep. 

The new vessel is also the first of its kind capable of running on methanol, a fuel that will reduce its footprint by more than 78%. In addition, it is equipped with a selective catalytic reduction system to reduce NOx emissions.

In addition, a 6,000-kWh battery pack is installed to manage peak loads and regenerate energy to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.