The requirements for offshore vessels are changing just as the wind industry itself is. The shipping company Cadeler now intends to work with the energy group Vattenfall to find solutions to the challenges facing the sector.
The Danish offshore and heavy-lift specialist Cadeler has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Vattenfall Vindkraft via its service platform Nexra. At the heart of the agreement is a strategic partnership aimed at developing “next-generation solutions for operations and maintenance (O&M) in the offshore wind industry”.
The listed shipping company – formerly part of the Asian Swire Group – is still on a growth trajectory: new vessels are being ordered and companies acquired, including German firms. The range of vessels required by the industry is vast, and accordingly, more and more shipping companies are adapting to this, such as OS Energy, owned by the Nürnberg family.
The collaboration with Vattenfall focuses on the further development of innovative methods for the replacement of major components (Major Component Exchange, MCE). The aim is to combine operational expertise, service methods and long-term planning in order to explore more efficient and scalable approaches to the maintenance of offshore wind turbines and to meet the changing requirements of the owners and operators of these turbines.
“In view of the growing and increasingly mature installed base of offshore wind turbines worldwide, efficient maintenance strategies and access to specialised MCE expertise are becoming increasingly important in order to ensure the long-term performance, reliability and availability of the turbines,” according to the official statement on the partnership.
Nexra and Vattenfall are now set to examine concepts and solutions aimed at improving the efficiency, safety and scalability of maintenance work across different types of turbines. The aim is to enable more predictable and effective maintenance of offshore wind turbines.
Jacob Christian Gregersen, Chief Growth Officer at Cadeler, commented: “The offshore wind industry is entering a new phase, characterised by a growing installed base and increasingly complex maintenance requirements. This collaboration offers us the opportunity to pool complementary expertise and explore new approaches to the replacement of major components. In this way, we can help shape more efficient and scalable O&M solutions for the turbines of tomorrow.”
Pavlo Malyshenko, Head of Generation, Offshore Wind at Vattenfall, added: “The long-term competitiveness of offshore wind power depends not only on how we deliver projects, but also on how effectively and efficiently we operate and maintain them over decades. Every replacement of a major component involves significant costs, complexity and production downtime.” Through this collaboration, the group aims to develop smarter approaches that support safe and reliable operation, improve long-term plant performance and reduce life-cycle costs. “In this way, we are helping to ensure that offshore wind power remains an affordable source of fossil-free electricity,” Malyshenko continued.
Nexra is Cadeler’s service platform specialising in operations and maintenance (O&M). It was founded in 2025 to serve the growing global aftermarket for offshore wind turbines. Nexra offers services for heavy maintenance work throughout the entire operational life of offshore wind turbines. Nexra utilises a flexible fleet of vessels – comprising primarily the “Wind Zaratan”, “Wind Scylla” and “Wind Keeper” – and also has the option of calling on vessels from the entire Cadeler fleet as required. This flexibility complements Cadeler’s core activities in the field of installation, promotes efficient utilisation of the entire fleet and enables rapid response support for customers in the key offshore wind markets.
