COSCO Shipping has launched the first transport of offshore wind monopiles for Scotland’s 1.1 gigawatt Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm. On 30 August, the company’s heavy-lift vessel MV XIAN TAI KOU departed CWHI’s Qinzhou Yard in China carrying eight monopiles, each 101.3 meters long, 11.5 meters wide, and weighing around 2,300 tonnes.
The cargo represents the first batch of 32 monopiles and 30 transition pieces manufactured by CNOOD-Wenchong Heavy Industries (CWHI). COSCO will handle the remaining shipments to ensure timely delivery to the UK project site. The Inch Cape development is one of the largest offshore wind farms planned for Scottish waters and a significant contributor to the UK’s renewable energy capacity.
The successful operation underscores COSCO’s expertise in handling ultra-heavy offshore wind components and its role in supporting the global energy transition through specialized logistics.
