Posters
Come meet the poster presenters to ask them questions and discuss their work
We would like to invite you to come and see the posters at our upcoming conference. The posters will showcase a diverse range of research topics, and will give delegates an opportunity to engage with the authors and learn more about their work. Whether you are a seasoned researcher or simply curious about the latest developments in your field, we believe that the posters will offer something of interest to everyone. So please join us at the conference and take advantage of this opportunity to learn and engage with your peers in industry and the academic community.
PO184: Benchmarking offshore wind installation performance: evidence from 60 projects using real-world data
Lars-Andre Tobaben, Project Manager, Sea Impact
Abstract
The offshore installation phase is a critical element in the delivery of offshore wind farms, with a strong influence on overall project cost, schedule, and risk. Hence optimizing and mitigating delays of foundation and turbine installation is important. Delays at this stage are critical as they can lead to substantial cost overruns and jeopardise planned commercial operation dates. It is therefore essential to develop a robust understanding of installation durations and the factors that determine efficient versus delayed execution. Despite the importance of this phase, no industry wide benchmarking of installation performance based on real-world data has previously been undertaken. This study addresses that gap by presenting the first large-scale benchmarking of offshore wind installation campaigns, covering more than 60 projects commissioned between 2014 and 2025. Using AIS-based analytics combined with project data, we define average installation duration per position as a key performance indicator and analyse explanatory factors including float between foundation and turbine packages, foundation execution, and turbine installation strategies such as dual installation vessel deployment. The analysis shows that recent years have seen a marked increase in installation durations. The slowdown is explained both by a higher number of projects experiencing significant delays and by the best-performing campaigns being slower than in the past. Complex foundation campaigns have been a major source of delay across several projects, while new market projects have also faced challenges. As a result, the industry recorded an average duration of 15.6 days per position in 2025 — more than 130% slower than the most efficient year. At the same time, the benchmarking confirms what enables success: tightly managed float between packages and, in some cases, two installation vessels operating in parallel. These findings provide unique benchmarks for Wind Farm Installation and highlight practical levers to improve performance, reduce risk, and accelerate project delivery.
No recording available for this poster.
