Dutch company Royal Boskalis has embarked on a major fleet renewal, converting one of its existing vessels into the world’s largest seabed rock installation (SRI) vessel. The new project, named Windpiper, will increase Boskalis’ capacity to 45,500 tonnes, doubling the company’s current capacity and cementing its leadership in this market segment.
Windpiper, 227 m long and 40 m wide, is equipped with seven thrusters, a DP2 dynamic positioning system and a power output of over 31,000 kW. The vessel is designed to protect subsea structures such as wind turbine foundations and will be used in offshore wind farm construction projects in Northwest Europe. With its increased capacity, it will be able to operate in remote locations, including the East Coast of North America, the Baltic Sea and the North Sea.
The company says Windpiper will reduce the number of trips, reduce emissions and minimise rock installation costs. There are over 100 cabins on board for the crew and customers. This is not the first successful experience of Boskalis in ship modernization – in 2023 the company converted the crane vessel Bokalift 2 with a lifting capacity of 4,000 tons. Windpiper is scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2026.