Cadeler’s Wind Apex takes 87-turbine Dogger Bank C assignment

Cadeler’s newbuild installation vessel Wind Apex will transport and install 87 GE Vernova Haliade-X 14 MW turbines at the 1.2 GW Dogger Bank C offshore wind farm in the UK North Sea under a firm contract; Cadeler did not disclose the value.

The Danish offshore wind contractor expects Wind Apex to join the installation campaign in the third quarter of 2027, shortly after delivery from the shipyard in the first half of that year. It will add installation capacity alongside an existing project vessel and remain available across the remaining phases of the wider Dogger Bank development.

“The campaign will also mark the first deployment of Wind Apex, and we look forward to seeing her begin operations on a project of this scale,” said Cadeler chief executive Mikkel Gleerup.

What does the first assignment change for Cadeler?

Wind Apex’s Dogger Bank C award gives the newbuild its first job and a firm North Sea work program from the third quarter of 2027. For Cadeler, the agreement converts a vessel awaiting shipyard delivery into contracted capacity, although the undisclosed value leaves its revenue and margin contribution unquantified.

The assignment supplements rather than replaces the existing project vessel. Wind Apex adds capacity for a 1.2 GW phase comprising 87 GE Vernova Haliade-X machines, each rated at 14 MW. Its later availability across the wider project gives Cadeler potential follow-on work after the initial Dogger Bank C deployment.

What can Wind Apex handle?

Wind Apex is the third vessel in Cadeler’s A-class series, following Wind Ally and Wind Ace. The newbuild carries the following disclosed specifications:

• 5,600 sq m of deck space.
• Payload capacity exceeding 17,000 tonnes.
• Capability for both foundation and turbine installation work.

The foundation-and-turbine configuration gives project planners flexibility across two installation functions. Cadeler has not disclosed how it will divide Wind Apex’s workload between foundations and turbines.

In July, Cadeler secured a €247 million ($277.5 million) green loan facility to finance part of the vessel’s construction. The financing preceded the first assignment and supports the build-and-deploy plan behind the A-class asset, while Dogger Bank C provides the initial operating commitment.

How far along is the wider Dogger Bank project?

Construction continues across all three phases of the 3.6 GW Dogger Bank development, approximately 130 km off England’s northeast coast. By November 2025, the project had completed all 277 foundations and transition pieces, while turbine installation at Dogger Bank B passed the halfway mark in October.

SSE Renewables and Equinor each hold 40% of Dogger Bank, with Vårgrønn owning 20%. SSE leads construction, and Equinor will operate the project upon completion, giving the 3.6 GW program defined construction and operating roles.

Dogger Bank C’s 87-turbine campaign is Wind Apex’s immediate assignment, while its broader availability can extend across the remaining phases. That positioning gives Cadeler a confirmed North Sea deployment before the company has disclosed which additional phases will use the vessel.

What does Port of Nigg mean for logistics?

The project has selected the Port of Nigg in Scotland as the marshalling base for turbine components destined for phases B and C. For component shippers and forwarders, the selection establishes a named port interface for those movements, while Wind Apex and the existing project unit provide the offshore installation side of the supply chain.

The announcement identifies no ocean carrier, freight rate, component tonnage or port-call schedule, so the commercial freight terms remain unspecified. What it does establish is a named marshalling location for phases B and C and an additional offshore vessel joining Dogger Bank C’s 1.2 GW turbine campaign in Q3 2027.

What should contractors watch before 2027?

The sequencing places two milestones ahead for Cadeler: shipyard delivery in the first half of 2027 and installation mobilization in the third quarter. Wind Apex must arrive before it can work on Dogger Bank C, while its availability across remaining phases gives the company scope to remain deployed as the 3.6 GW program advances.

For project planners, the immediate question is whether the foundation-and-turbine installation sequence and the Port of Nigg marshalling plan can align with that entry date. Cadeler has not disclosed the delivery yard, exact delivery date, mobilization plan or commercial terms, leaving those execution details outside the current award.

For Cadeler and the Dogger Bank supply chain, the next measurable signals are vessel delivery, confirmation of Wind Apex’s turbine workload and the pace of phase B installation. Neither the installation rate nor the freight terms for component movements appear in the announcement, leaving commercial comparisons outside the current award.

Watch for shipyard delivery in the first half of 2027 and Wind Apex’s Q3 2027 entry at Dogger Bank C; those milestones will show when Cadeler’s added installation capacity enters the 3.6 GW project’s execution schedule.