The heavy transport vessel BigLift Baffin is currently transporting the second substation topside for Ørsted’s Hornsea 3 offshore wind project from Thailand to Europe, marking a significant milestone for one of the world’s largest renewable energy developments.
According to AIS ship tracking data, the Netherlands-flagged MC-class vessel departed from Map Ta Phut, Thailand, on October 19, 2025, and is scheduled to arrive in Haugesund, Norway, on December 9, 2025. The topside, known as Hornsea 3 Link 2, was constructed and integrated by Aibel and Hitachi Energy. It is part of the high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission system that will connect the 2.9 GW Hornsea 3 wind farm to the UK grid.
The transport of this topside marks the second major voyage for the Hornsea 3 project, following the delivery of the first substation earlier this year. Upon arrival in Haugesund, the structure will undergo final preparations before it is installed offshore in the North Sea in early 2026.
BigLift Baffin is one of two heavy-lift vessels in BigLift Shipping’s MC-Class, designed specifically for transporting large offshore modules and substations. With a deck area of 3,600 m² and a deadweight capacity of over 20,000 tonnes, the vessel is purpose-built for complex offshore logistics operations.
The Hornsea 3 project, located approximately 160 km off the Yorkshire coast, will have a capacity of 2.9 GW and will supply renewable electricity to more than 3 million UK homes once operational. Ørsted aims to have the project fully commissioned by 2027.
