en.Wedoany.com Reported - DeepOcean has completed the installation and testing of all 48 inter-array cables for the German offshore wind project Nordseecluster A, marking the conclusion of the first phase of this 1.6 GW development. The inter-array cables were installed from January to April 2026, with termination and testing also completed. The project supports the 660 MW Nordseecluster A, which will deploy 44 Vestas V236 15.0 MW turbines, with full commercial operation planned for early 2027. RWE has already installed the first turbine for Nordseecluster A, and all 44 turbines are expected to be in place by the end of 2026.
The scope of the inter-array cable work extended far beyond simple cable laying, encompassing project management, engineering design, cable protection systems, offshore preparation, burial assessment, route surveys, foundation and offshore substation preparation, cable pulling, burial operations, and seabed surveys and monitoring. The cables connect the turbines to the offshore electrical system, forming the core of the project's internal grid.
DeepOcean mobilized four vessels for the installation operations, including the chartered multi-purpose subsea construction vessel Olympic Ares, the subsea construction vessel M/S Volantis, and two walk-to-work vessels. Cable laying was performed by the Olympic Ares, which was fitted with a carousel and laying equipment for the project. DeepOcean stated that the laying equipment is designed for flexibility and can be quickly deployed to other vessels in the fleet.
Subsea trenching and burial work was carried out by the M/S Volantis using DeepOcean's UT-1 jet trenching system. The system has a trenching power of 2,800 horsepower and can handle cables and pipelines up to 46 inches in diameter; it achieves burial depths of over 3 meters and can operate in water depths of up to 2,500 meters, capable of addressing seabed movement, fishing activities, and other offshore risks in the North Sea region.
Mitchell Pike, Executive Vice President of DeepOcean's Offshore Renewables division, stated that the project demonstrates the company's flexibly adaptable cable laying and trenching vessels, as well as its ability to provide turnkey transport and installation solutions for clients. The project was managed from Aberdeen, UK, with support from offices in Haugesund and Oslo, Norway. CEO Øyvind Mikaelsen noted that the operation involved four vessels and over 200 personnel, with the schedule optimized in a safe and robust manner.
Nordseecluster A is the first phase of the larger Nordseecluster project, a development with a planned capacity of approximately 1.6 GW, being built about 50 kilometers north of the island of Juist. RWE holds a 51% stake in the project, with Norges Bank Investment Management holding 49%, and RWE is responsible for the construction and operation of the offshore wind farm throughout its entire lifecycle. Nordseecluster B is planned to add a further 900 MW starting in early 2029, making the cluster one of Germany's major current offshore wind development projects.
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