Belgium-based offshore installation services company DEME has secured a contract, worth up to $320 million, to carry out the transport and installation works for the inter-array cables and secondary steel for the OranjeWind offshore wind farm in the Netherlands.
With an installed capacity of nearly 800 MW, the wind farm is being developed by a joint venture of RWE and TotalEnergies. DEME will transport and install a total of 114 km of inter-array cables, which will connect all 53 foundations to the offshore substation in the Dutch North Sea.
The extensive scope includes all the engineering, preparation and supporting activities, ensuring that DEME will deliver a complete solution to RWE and TotalEnergies.
Pre-sweeping will be conducted at the wind farm, situated 53 km from the Dutch coast, before cable installation in areas with significant sand waves to ensure the cable is buried at the required target depth.
At the offshore substation and crossings of existing assets, the cables will be stabilized with rock.
The secondary steel scope includes the transport and installation of boat landings, access platforms and internal platforms at the monopile foundations.
Scheduled to start in the second half of 2026, DEME will deploy offshore and cable installation vessels, a hopper dredger and fallpipe vessel, as well as additional supporting equipment.
“This latest contract award highlights DEME’s ability to provide a comprehensive range of solutions to the offshore wind industry. With our diverse offshore fleet and specialised equipment, we are well positioned to successfully deliver this project, while working closely with the RWE and TotalEnergies joint venture.
“Additionally, the project will benefit from DEME's extensive experience in cable installation, particularly given the dynamic seabed environment at the wind farm location. We are also excited to collaborate with RWE and TotalEnergies, two leaders at the forefront of advancing the energy transition through innovative solutions,” says Philip Scheers, General Manager Subsea Power Cables at DEME.
This is the fourth cable project DEME has been awarded in recent months. DEME won two contracts from Prysmian for the engineering and installation works for TenneT’s IJmuiden Ver Alpha and Nederwiek 1 offshore grid systems in the Netherlands.
As well as this, a consortium consisting of DEME and Hellenic Cables, won a major contract for the supply and installation of the high-voltage subsea cables for the Princess Elisabeth Island in the Belgian North Sea.