Van Oord, a leading marine contractor, has partnered with Cape Holland, a subsidiary of Venterra Group, to utilize specialized lifting equipment for foundation installation at the 760MW Hollandse Kust West offshore wind project, located off the coast of the Netherlands.
Under the agreement, Van Oord will leverage Cape's Vibro Lifting Technology (VLT) to minimize piling noise during installation, offering a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional hammer installations. The project will involve driving monopiles, weighing nearly 1500 tons and with a diameter of up to 9.3 meters, using the CAPE VLT. Van Oord's new installation vessel, Boreas, equipped with a 3000-ton crane, will facilitate the installation of the monopiles.
Jan Willem Elleswijk, Project Director at Van Oord, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, “We are pleased to announce this agreement with Cape Holland and are excited to apply this innovative technique for the first time on such a large scale in the construction of a Dutch offshore wind farm.”
Dick van Wijngaarden, Business Development Manager at CAPE Holland, emphasized the significance of the technology, stating, “I am delighted that after a long period of promoting the Vibro Lifting Technology to the industry, we have been selected for this first large scale implementation of this innovative technique at a Dutch offshore wind farm to use the Vibro Lifting Tool to help reduce the environmental impact during the installation phase.”
Ecowende, the developer of the Hollandse Kust West project, a joint venture between Shell, Eneco, and Chubu, aims to meet ecological and environmental considerations. The project is expected to contribute positively to biodiversity, supporting the large-scale expansion of offshore wind in the Netherlands and beyond.
David Matthews, Chief Commercial Officer at Venterra Group, commented on the collaboration, stating, “We're proud to have CAPE Holland's market-leading Vibro Lifting Technology and expertise included as part of Venterra's foundation offering. We're pleased to be chosen by Van Oord and we're looking forward to supporting their team to successfully install the monopile foundations for this Ecowende project.”
Hollandse Kust West, situated approximately 53 km off the Dutch coast near IJmuiden, is scheduled to enter operation in 2026.
