Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm has reached a major construction milestone after successfully completing the installation of all 54 monopile foundations in the North Sea off the Scottish coast, with the project now on track to deliver first power before the end of 2026.

A Landmark Achievement for Scottish Offshore Wind

The completion of the monopile installation program, announced on June 3, 2026, marks a significant step forward for one of Scotland's most prominent offshore wind developments.

Installation began in December of the previous year, with Jan De Nul's heavy lift vessel Les Alizés conducting the work through a series of repeated voyages between the construction site and a purpose-built berth at the Port of Leith in Edinburgh. The vessel collected five monopiles per voyage before steadily placing them across the site.

Inch Cape Project Director John Hill described the achievement as confirmation of the project's ongoing momentum. "The installation of all our monopiles is a huge achievement for the Inch Cape team and confirmation of the project's momentum as we continue an extremely busy period of offshore construction activity," he said.

Hill also acknowledged that the project had confronted notable engineering challenges throughout the program, crediting the efforts of multiple contractors and suppliers in reaching the milestone.

Among the Largest Monopiles Ever Installed for an Offshore Wind Farm

The monopiles installed at Inch Cape are among the largest ever used in the offshore wind industry. Each structure has a diameter of 11.5 meters, reaches up to 102 meters in length, and weighs approximately 2,300 tonnes.

Hill noted that the scale of these components represents the leading edge of current industry capability, and that the installation of structures of this size in complex ground conditions required extensive engineering analysis to manage risk.

The Les Alizés carried out the installation work using a 5,000-tonne crane capable of reaching 160 meters at full height. The vessel also employed a specially designed IQIP pile lifting tool and an IQIP hydraulic impact hammer to drive the monopiles into the seabed. Geotechnical support for the installation engineering was provided by Cathie.

Measures to protect marine mammals were put in place throughout the installation campaign. These included the use of acoustic deterrent devices, a soft-start approach to the piling process, and a dedicated noise monitoring program.

Contractors and Supply Chain

John Hill identified several contractors as central to the success of the monopile installation program. Engineering design was carried out by SLPE, while the monopiles themselves were fabricated and delivered by suppliers CWHI and Dajin. Forth Projects was credited for its offloading and marshaling work at the Port of Leith.

The Les Alizés was provided to Inch Cape through a leasing arrangement. The vessel is on long-term charter to RWE, which leased it to Inch Cape during a period between its own construction projects.

At the Port of Leith, a team of approximately 100 people continues to work on loading out the remaining components for offshore installation. That activity is being supported by Global Energy Solutions.

What Comes Next for the Project

While the monopile installation program is now complete, Inch Cape's offshore construction schedule for the remainder of the year remains substantial. The project comprises not only the 54 monopile foundations now in place, but also 18 jacket foundations supported by 54 pin piles. All 72 foundations will ultimately support Vestas 15MW turbines, meaning the total installed turbine capacity will come from 72 machines once construction is finished.

Upcoming offshore project activities are set to include the installation of transition pieces to cap the monopiles, the installation of the jacket foundations, completion of the second export cable's remaining sections, the laying of the first array cables, and the installation of the first turbines. The project team has stated that first power remains on track for late 2026, with full commercial operations expected in 2027.

Ownership and Project Background

Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm is owned in equal shares through a 50/50 joint venture between ESB and Red Rock Renewables. The project is located in the North Sea off the Scottish coast and, upon completion, will represent a significant addition to Scotland's renewable energy infrastructure. The completion of all monopile foundations places the development firmly on course to meet its operational timeline.

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