Cadeler orders second F-class installation vessel

Written by Nick Blenkey
Cadeler F-class vessel will have MAN mixed-engine concept powering

Cadeler F-class can convert from being a foundation installation vessel (WFIV) to a wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV)

Danish-headquartered, Oslo-listed, wind turbine installation vessel specialist Cadeler A/S has placed an order for a second F-class vessel for delivery in the second half of 2026. It will take the total number of vessels in the Cadeler WTIV fleet to six.

Cadeler, whose largest shareholder is a BW Group company, is currently building two X-class and its first F-class vessel for deliveries from second half 2024 onwards. The second F-class vessel is expected to be delivered in the second half of 2026.

All vessels will be built at the COSCO Heavy Industries shipyard in Qidong, China, and will sail under Danish flag.

The F-class vessel’s hybrid design, allows it to convert from being a foundation installation vessel (WFIV) to a wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) within a short period of time.

The first F-class vessel is being built under a $345 million contract with Chinese shipbuilder Cosco Heavy Industries that was announced in May.

Cadeler is being more opaque about the price of the second F-class. It says it “has been able to achieve a very competitive price due to a strong collaboration that the company has built with COSCO Heavy Industries, synergies reached from building several similar designed jack-ups and negotiating the option for a second F-class seven months ago. It has been agreed between the parties not to disclose the final price of the contract due to these special circumstances.”

Cadeler says the X- and F-class vessels are being built in close cooperation with its strategic partners, which include GustoMSC NOV, Kongsberg, Huisman and MAN Energy.

“The decision to build an additional F-class vessel is based on the strong market demand for assets specializing in installing foundations,” says Cadeler CEO, Mikkel Gleerup. “Our yet-to-be-build F-class vessels have already been sought after by our clients. As announced in August, we have signed a firm contract with Ørsted and have also entered a long-term agreement with an undisclosed client booking the F-class vessel from 2027 to 2030. These results are only possible because our clients believe in our abilities to meet their demands with increased flexibility and to offer state-of-the-art vessels that are fit to meet the requirements from the fast-growing offshore wind market.”

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