The first monopile foundations for Ørsted’s Hornsea 3 Offshore Wind Farm recently arrived at Steel River Quay, marking an important milestone in the development of what will become the world’s largest offshore wind farm.

After travelling around 960 nautical miles from Bilbao in Spain, where they were manufactured by Haizea, the components were transported in two shipments aboard Biglift’s CY Interocean II before being safely received at Steel River Quay.

The structures highlight the scale of modern offshore wind infrastructure. Each monopile measures around 90 metres in length and weighs an average of 1,670 tonnes, equivalent to the weight of nine of the heaviest blue whales. Their diameter measures eight metres at the top and up to 11 metres at the base, forming the foundations that will support turbines installed in the North Sea.

The load-out in Bilbao and load-in operations in Teesside were carried out by Cadeler, working closely with teams from Ørsted, Haizea and Steel River Quay to coordinate the complex transport and handling operation.

Luke Bridgman, Managing Director of Hornsea 3 at Ørsted, said:
“2026 is the year we begin offshore works on Hornsea 3 in earnest and the arrival of these first monopiles marks a key milestone in that process.”

For Steel River Quay, the arrival highlights Teesside’s growing role in the UK offshore wind sector and the region’s importance in supporting major renewable energy projects.

Ally Cameron, Managing Director at Steel River Quay said: “Welcoming the first Hornsea 3 monopiles into Teesside is a proud moment for both the project and for Steel River Quay. Our state-of-the-art facilities have been purpose-built to handle components of this scale, and it’s fantastic to see the site now playing a central role in delivering what will become the world’s largest offshore wind farm.

“This arrival underlines the strength of the partnerships forming here on the Tees and highlights how our region is helping drive the UK’s clean energy transition while creating long-term industrial opportunity and skilled jobs locally.”

As additional monopiles arrive over the coming months, Steel River Quay will continue supporting the construction of Hornsea 3, playing a key role in handling and storing the foundations for the project.

To find out more about Steel River Quay’s heavy-lift quayside facilities and how we support offshore wind and large-scale energy projects, visit our Contact page to get in touch with the team.