Heerema Marine Contractors has commenced construction of the H-731 float-over barge with a First Steel Cutting ceremony at Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering Co. Ltd. (CIMC SOE) yard in Daishan, China. This milestone marks the official start of the construction for the 220-meter float-over barge. The barge will be purpose-built for the TenneT 2GW program and will be delivered in Q2, 2027.
“This new barge enhances our capacity to deliver large-scale offshore wind solutions and reflects our commitment to advancing the global energy transition,” said Heerema’s Chief Operating Officer Michel Hendriks. “Partnering with CIMC SOE underscores our confidence in their expertise and our shared dedication to sustainable maritime solutions.”
In addition to its technical capabilities, Heerema has paid significant attention to optimizing sailing behavior during the design phase. This focus will result in much lower fuel consumption during towing, reinforcing Heerema’s commitment to reducing environmental impact and improving operational efficiency.
Beyond its impressive specifications, the H-731 will play an important role in Europe’s offshore wind ambitions, installing TenneT’s 2GW offshore substations starting in 2028, an essential step toward achieving Germany's and the Netherlands’ climate goals.
“TenneT is committed to enabling the energy transition by building the infrastructure needed for an energy secure and sustainable future,” said Daniel Birckenstock, 2GW Project Director at TenneT. “The 2GW framework agreements are initiated to give planning security and predictability to our partners, with the goal to realize investments in resources, production facilities, vessels and other related assets. The start of the construction of the float-over barge of Heerema underlines the success of this strategy.”
Heerema remains committed to innovation in offshore construction, focusing on safety, efficiency, and sustainability. The H-731 float-over barge represents a key step toward enabling large-scale offshore wind projects that support global energy transition goals.