Jan De Nul Group to Supply Export Cables for Offshore Wind Farm

The Belgian offshore construction and dredging firm, Jan De Nul Group, has recently disclosed a substantial contract with Ørsted. This contract pertains to the export cable portion of the extensive Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm located in the United Kingdom.

Jan De Nul Group is responsible for preparing the seabed, transporting, installing, and safeguarding an extensive 350 km of DC export cables. These cables play a vital role as they establish the essential connection between the wind farm and the United Kingdom's national electricity grid.

Situated about 160 km off the Yorkshire coast, the Hornsea 3 wind farm is poised to claim the title of the world's largest standalone offshore wind farm. With an impressive capacity of 2.9 GW, it will elevate the total capacity of the Hornsea offshore wind zone to a noteworthy 5.4 GW.

The initiative is set to incorporate two DC export cables, covering a cumulative distance of 350 kilometres. Hornsea 3 is projected to produce ample renewable electricity, catering to the power needs of 3.3 million households in the UK.

“We are proud to support Ørsted in building the world’s largest individual offshore wind farm by connecting 2.9 GW of renewable energy capacity to the UK’s national grid,” expressed Wouter Vermeersch, the individual overseeing offshore cables at Jan De Nul Group.

Commencing in 2025, the project is poised to employ various vessels to install and safeguard DC export cables. The transportation and installation of cables will be overseen by the Isaac Newton and Connector vessels. In contrast, the Simon Stevin vessel will be responsible for laying around 150,000 tonnes of rock to fortify cable protection. The project is projected to conclude in the early months of 2027, emphasizing the commitment to ensuring the effective installation and security of the cables.