Wind Ally First-in-Class WTIV

With the delivery of Wind Ally, Denmark-based Cadeler has reached a defining milestone in the evolution of its offshore installation fleet, and more broadly, in the rapid industrial scaling of offshore wind. The vessel is the first of Cadeler’s A-Class series: a new generation of heavy-lift wind turbine installation vessels (WTIVs) purpose-built to handle the increasingly monumental monopiles and turbine components shaping the offshore wind landscape through the 2030s.

Delivered ahead of schedule from COSCO’s Qidong Shipyard after a two-year construction program, Wind Ally becomes the ninth vessel operating in Cadeler’s fleet and the company’s first asset capable of transporting and installing up to six complete XXL monopile foundation sets per voyage. That capability marks a step change not just for Cadeler’s operational profile but for the entire supply chain supporting large-scale projects in the North Sea, Baltic, and emerging U.S. offshore wind markets.

Following mobilization, Wind Ally will go straight into foundation installation at Ørsted’s Hornsea 3 development, one of the world’s largest offshore wind farms.

The A-Class origin story stretches back several years to when Cadeler and its technical partners — COSCO, GustoMSC, NOV, Kongsberg, Huisman, and MAN Energy — recognized that turbine and foundation designs were scaling far beyond the limits of legacy jack-ups. The result is a vessel class engineered for size, power, stability, and operational efficiency.

At 162 meters in length and 60 meters in breadth, Wind Ally is larger and more capable than any previous Cadeler newbuild. She carries a variable load exceeding 18,000 tons, enabling the transport of multiple XXL components without repeated port calls.

The A-Class deck configuration reflects Cadeler’s efficiency-first philosophy: 5,600 m² of deck area with 15 t/m² deck loading, accommodating the heaviest monopiles and transition pieces now being fabricated for next-generation projects.

A >3,300-ton main crane at 39-meter radius, with hook height reaching 180 meters (or up to 200 meters with an extended boom), gives the vessel the lift geometry required for installing both foundations and the next wave of 20+ MW wind turbine generators.

The vessel is built for challenging operating envelopes as well, capable of operating its main crane in wind speeds up to 20 m/s, and supported by a full DP2 system driven by a robust suite of azimuth, retractable, and tunnel thrusters totaling nearly 30 MW of maneuvering power.

A Strategic Shift: Full Transport & Installation Capability

For Cadeler, Wind Ally represents much more than additional lift capacity. The vessel marks the company’s first foray into taking full responsibility for both transport and installation (T&I) of monopile foundations—a scope traditionally split across multiple contractors.

By enabling the movement of six XXL monopiles and six transition pieces per mobilization, Cadeler reduces the number of load-out cycles, minimizes port interface time, and significantly compresses overall project timelines. Reduced transit and installation cycles translate into measurable sustainability benefits as well—lower fuel consumption, fewer vessel days, and a smaller environmental footprint per installed megawatt.

“The A-Class truly positions us as a full-service provider,” Cadeler has stated, signaling a strategic shift toward turnkey foundation installation packages. With the market trending toward ever-higher project volumes and increasingly compressed delivery windows, Cadeler’s expanded scope is likely to resonate with developers.

As a newbuild delivered into an era of rapid decarbonization, Wind Ally incorporates a hybrid power architecture combining 21.6 MW of genset capacity with a 5.2 MWh battery system, reducing fuel burn during DP operations, jacking, and lifting cycles.

The vessel is classed under a suite of environmentally advantaged notations including Clean (Design, Tier III), Battery(Power), and Fuel Ready, indicating preparation for low-carbon fuels of the future. She is also equipped with shore-power capability, enabling zero-emission port stays.

Tank capacities include 3,300 m³ of marine gas oil and 735 m³ of potable water, underscoring the endurance required for extended offshore campaigns far from supply bases.

With accommodation for 130 people, Wind Ally is built to host large installation teams within a modern, comfort-class certified living environment.

The vessel also features a helicopter deck rated for heavy aircraft such as the Sikorsky S92A and AW101, offering improved personnel transfer options during projects with tight schedules or challenging weather windows.

Wind Ally is the first of three A-Class vessels under construction. Her sister ship Wind Ace will follow in the second half of 2026, and Wind Apex in 2027. Once all three are delivered, Cadeler’s full fleet will expand to 12 vessels, making it the largest and arguably the most versatile WTIV fleet in the global offshore wind industry.

By mid-2027, Cadeler expects to field a full suite of P-Class and A-Class vessels capable of handling the 20 MW-class turbines and XXL foundations anticipated for the next wave of European, U.K., U.S., and Asia-Pacific offshore wind rounds.

One notable achievement during Wind Ally’s construction is its safety record: more than 3.5 million safe working hours with no major incidents, delivered ahead of schedule and within budget. This performance reinforces COSCO’s growing position as a leading builder of heavy-lift offshore vessels and reflects the coordinated approach taken by Cadeler’s global supplier network.