A Dutch company's massive vessel is ready to deploy 45,500 tons of rock with precision in its first Baltic Sea project.
The largest subsea rock installation vessel in the world has just docked in the Netherlands for final upgrades and commissioning, ahead of its first-ever offshore mission by the end of the year. The rock-carrying ship, named Windpiper , will undergo further outfitting in the harbor of Waalhaven, after arriving in Rotterdam at the beginning of April, 2026.
Built by Papendrecht-based Boskalis, the subsea rock installation vessel, boasts a rock-carrying capacity of 45,500 tons, which makes it the largest one of its kind in the world. It is 745 feet long and 131 feet wide .The powerful vessel also boasts a total installed power exceeding 31,000 kilowatts . Boskalis first announced it in January 2025. It was developed by converting an existing ship into an SRI vessel. World’s largest SRIAs per Boskalis, Windpiper originally served a completely different function. “A tremendous amount of work has since been done to convert the vessel into the state-of-the-art subsea rock installation vessel Windpiper,” the firm pointed out. “This included the creation of two large rock holds and the installation of the inclined fall pipe.” The latter, which complements the ship’s moonpool for fall pipe installation, is crucial for the protection of offshore structures such as the foundations of offshore wind turbines. The Windpiper arriving in the Netherlands.Credit: Boskalis / LinkedInThe vessel is also equipped with seven thrusters and Dynamic Positioning Class 2 certification. This indicates that it could maintain its position and heading automatically with the thrusters, even if a single component falls. “The ‘Windpiper’ is specifically designed for optimal performance in challenging offshore conditions,” the company said. “This state-of-the-art vessel will stand as the largest SRI vessel in the industry, significantly bolstering Boskalis position in this specialized niche market, which currently includes three existing SRI vessels.”Final commissioning phaseThe Windpiper is capable of installing rock with great precision on and around offshore structures. It will now complete additional commissioning before its first Baltic Sea assignment later this year.As per the company, the vessel’s large capacity is divided across two holds. This design makes it ideal for projects that involve long transit distances between rock loading facilities and offshore sites.Such conditions are common in regions like the North American East Coast, the Baltic Sea, as well as the Southern North Sea. “This large capacity minimizes the number of round trips required, ultimately leading to less emissions and lower costs per installed volume of rock,” Boskalis added.The vessel has a rock-carrying capacity of 45,500 tons.Credit: Boskalis / LinkedInIn addition, the vessel features more than 100 single-occupancy cabins. These are designed to provide comfortable, private accommodation for everyone onboard. It can comfortably accommodate client representatives alongside the onboard crew.Boskalis is known for repurposing existing vessels for new roles. This approach helps extend the life of ships while also bringing them into service faster than building new ones. It offers a more sustainable pathway without compromising delivery timelines.“We thank our colleagues for their hard work on board the Windpiper and wish the project team and crew every success with the commissioning in Rotterdam,” Boskalis concluded in a statement on LinkedIn.
Boskalis Energy &Amp Environment Maritime Netherlands Offshore Energy Offshore Wind Subsea Rock Installation Vessel Windpiper
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