Moored at mega pier
WILLEMSTAD--The work vessel “Maersk Viridis” specialised in installing offshore wind turbines docked at Mega Pier 2 in Curaçao last Thursday. The ship, which sails under the Danish flag, is on a transatlantic voyage to the United States for a large-scale energy project.
After lying off the coast of the island for a few days, the vessel entered the Port of Willemstad on Thursday morning. It had been underway since the end of March; the journey began in Singapore and led via Madagascar and Brazil. Departure from Curaçao is scheduled for July 23.
The “Maersk Viridis”
The vessel, weighing approximately 40,000 tons, is a technical marvel specially developed for the latest generation of wind turbines. The impressive main crane can lift a weight of 1,900 tons to a hook height of 180 metres. This capacity is essential for the installation of modern turbines with a capacity of 15 megawatts or more.
The ship was delivered this spring by shipbuilder Seatrium and is designed for optimal stability, allowing parts to be transshipped at sea without the ship having to return to port for every resupply.
Its final destination is the coast of Long Island, where the “Maersk Viridis will be deployed in the realisation of energy company Equinor's Empire Wind 1 project. This offshore wind farm will consist of 54 turbines. The first electricity is expected to be generated at the end of this year, after which the park will be fully operational in 2027.
The ship's presence in the Port of Willemstad is unrelated to local wind energy projects and serves solely as a logistical stop during the crossing.
