Jan De Nul launched the world’s tallest Next Generation Jack-Up Installation Vessel Voltaire

Just twenty days after the company’s Les Alizés vessel, Jan De Nul Group has launched the Voltaire, a next-generation offshore jack-up installation vessel for offshore renewables and decommissioning, at the COSCO Shipping Shipyard in Nantong, China.

The vessel will be the second and largest jack-up vessel in Jan De Nul’s fleet, and able to support the renewable energy industry to build next generation offshore wind farms.

In common with Les Alizés, the Voltaire is due for delivery in the second half of 2022 and will be welcomed by a global offshore wind industry that is already forecasting installation vessel shortages by mid-decade.

Designed in-house, Voltaire is built to transport, lift, and install offshore wind turbines, transition pieces and foundations. The main crane has a capacity of over 3,000 tonnes which will enable the construction of the current and future generation of wind farms at sea.

With a high-tech jacking system, the Voltaire has four giant legs of 130 metres which support the vessel to achieve stable working conditions at unsurpassed water depths up to 80 metres and with an elevated load of 16,000 tonnes.

With the increasing demand for decarbonisation and lower-cost green electricity, offshore wind turbine and foundation components continue to rapidly increase in size to a point where their dimensions have largely outgrown the current market installation capability.

Jan De Nul Group has been preparing for the arrival of next generation offshore wind components and in 2019, announced the order of the Voltaire, the world’s tallest and highly advanced jack-up installation vessel, and Les Alizés, an equally revolutionary floating installation vessel.

With unrivalled lifting capacities of over 3,000 tonnes and 5,000 tonnes respectively, along with Jan De Nul’s existing subsea cable laying trio, these vessels will have the capability to install the complete requirements of next generation offshore wind.

Philippe Hutse, Director Offshore Division at Jan De Nul Group:

“The Voltaire will enable us to work in deeper waters and reach ever higher nacelle heights than before. Adding Voltaire and Les Alizés to the fleet gives us the perfect set of vessels to execute the growing number of large and clustered international offshore wind projects.

“Our forward-looking view on market trends and the quick decision making to invest in this set of Next Gen installation vessels, have done us no harm. The Voltaire and Les Alizés have all the required specifications to meet the upcoming challenges in offshore renewables.

“We are proud to be recognised for the choices we made back in 2019, and look forward to continuing our journey, alongside industry leaders, through our contribution to renewable energy growth in the worldwide energy transition.”

The success of the Voltaire was demonstrated in 2020 with the award of her first assignment only one year after her order. The vessel will travel to the United Kingdom for the construction of the 3.6 GW Dogger Bank offshore wind farm, the world’s largest offshore wind farm, transporting and installing in total 277 GE Haliade-X turbines up to 14MW. As such, the Voltaire will contribute to the largest offshore wind farm in the world, generating enough energy to power up to 6 million homes every year – around 5% of the UK’s electricity needs.

Steve Wilson, Dogger Bank Project Director:

“We congratulate Jan De Nul on successfully launching its unrivalled jack up vessel, the Voltaire. This impressive installation vessel will play a critical role in the construction of all three phases of Dogger Bank Wind Farm when it enters service, demonstrating an innovative engineering solution to the growing challenge presented by larger and more technically demanding wind farms.”