en.Wedoany.com Reported - All 54 monopile foundations for the Inch Cape offshore wind project have been fully installed. Jan De Nul's heavy-lift vessel Les Alizés has been carrying out the installation work since December 2025, transporting the monopiles from a newly built dedicated berth at the Port of Leith in Edinburgh, with each voyage carrying five monopiles.
John Hill, Project Director for Inch Cape, stated that the completion of monopile foundation installation is a significant achievement, demonstrating the strong momentum of the project amidst ongoing busy offshore construction activities. These monopiles are among the largest ever installed for an offshore wind farm, with a diameter of 11.5 meters, a length of 102 meters, and a weight of approximately 2,300 tons. He noted that this milestone is the result of efforts by numerous contractors, including SLPE, responsible for engineering design; monopile suppliers CWHI and Dajin; and Forth Projects, responsible for unloading and marshalling operations.
Les Alizés used a 5,000-ton crane (with a reach height of 160 meters when fully extended), a specially designed IQIP pile lifting tool, and an IQIP hydraulic impact hammer to drive the monopiles into the seabed. Under complex geological conditions, the installation required extensive risk analysis, supported by the Cathie geotechnical team. To protect marine mammals, mitigation measures such as acoustic deterrent devices and soft starts were implemented, along with a noise monitoring program.
In addition to the 54 monopiles with transition pieces, Inch Cape also includes 18 jacket foundations (with 54 pin piles) to support its 72 Vestas 15 MW wind turbines. A team of approximately 100 people continues to work at the Port of Leith, with all remaining components supported for loading by Global Energy Solutions for installation. Jan De Nul's Les Alizés has been long-term chartered to RWE, which leases the vessel to Inch Cape during gaps in its own construction projects.
Upcoming offshore construction activities this year include the installation of transition pieces, jacket foundations, the remaining section of the second export cable, the first array cables, and the first wind turbines. The project is scheduled to achieve first power by the end of 2026, with full commercial operation in 2027. Inch Cape is owned by a 50/50 joint venture between ESB and Red Rock Renewables.
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