Hanwha Ocean has started construction of a Wind Turbine Installation Vessel (WTIV) with a steel-cutting ceremony. The vessel is being built to install 15 MW-class offshore wind turbines in Korea’s West Sea.
The WTIV was ordered by Ocean Wind Power 1 under a KRW 768.7 billion contract announced in February 2026. Delivery is scheduled for the first half of 2028. Under the EPCIO project, Hanwha Ocean will be responsible for both constructing and operating the vessel.
According to Hanwha Ocean, the vessel incorporates design improvements based on experience accumulated through the company’s WTIV projects over the past decade.
The vessel will have more than twice the crane lifting capacity of existing domestic WTIVs. Its legs will be extended by 18 m to accommodate offshore conditions in Korea’s West Sea.
A Dynamic Positioning System (DPS) will enable the vessel to operate in tidal ranges of up to 11 m. It will also be capable of transporting up to four sets of 15 MW offshore wind turbines at one time.
The WTIV has been designed in accordance with DNV safety standards. Its evacuation arrangement will allow crew members to leave the vessel even when it is heeled by up to 90 degrees.
The vessel will also be equipped with an Energy Storage System (ESS), which uses stored electrical power to improve engine efficiency and support lower-emission operations.
