Van Oord Completes Major Cable Installation at Sofia Offshore Wind Farm

Van Oord has successfully completed the installation, burial, termination, and testing of 109 array cables at the Sofia Offshore Wind Farm, marking a significant milestone in the project’s development. This achievement reinforces Van Oord’s role in advancing the global energy transition through large-scale offshore wind infrastructure.

The Sofia project was also the stage for the first operational deployment of Van Oord’s new cable-laying vessel, Calypso. Purpose-built for offshore wind work, Calypso is equipped with cutting-edge sustainable technology and delivered strong performance throughout its debut. Immediately following completion at Sofia, the vessel began work on its next offshore assignment.

Supporting the cable-laying operations, Van Oord’s Subsea Viking deployed the advanced Dig-It trencher, which successfully buried over 360 kilometres of cable with high precision. Final termination and testing were carried out from walk-to-work vessels by Van Oord’s experienced tower teams.

“Completing the installation of all 109 cables is a major achievement for the Sofia project team,” said Roeland Ris, Project Director at Van Oord. “It reflects dedication, expertise, and close collaboration between all parties involved. I’m proud of the outstanding performance of everyone across the fleet and project teams.”

Located on Dogger Bank in the central North Sea, 195 kilometres off the UK coast, the 1.4 GW Sofia Offshore Wind Farm will supply clean energy to 1.2 million UK homes. Van Oord is responsible for the full EPCI scope of the project’s foundations and array cables. The wind farm is expected to be fully operational in 2026.