First U.S.-Built WTIV Arrives In Virginia For Nation’s Largest Offshore Wind Project

Charybdis, the first U.S.-built wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV), has arrived in Virginia to begin work on the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project, the largest offshore wind farm currently under construction in the United States.

The vessel docked at Portsmouth Marine Terminal in Hampton Bays, Virginia, on September 17, after leaving Texas on August 22, according to its AIS signal. Dominion Energy, which commissioned Charybdis, confirmed that the vessel is on track to start installing turbines later this month.

Charybdis was built at Seatrium’s AmFELS shipyard in Brownsville, Texas. The vessel is 472 feet (144 meters) long, 184 feet (56 meters) wide, and 38 feet (12 meters) deep. It can accommodate up to 119 people and is fitted with a 426-foot (130-meter) crane that can lift up to 2,200 tons, strong enough to install wind turbines of 12 MW or larger.

The construction work began in December 2020, and the ship was launched in April 2024. Sea trials began earlier this year, and it was officially delivered in September 2025. As a Jones Act-compliant vessel, Charybdis is fully U.S.-built and registered, giving it advantages over foreign-flagged vessels used in previous offshore wind projects.

Dominion Energy reported that Charybdis will handle turbine installations in the western third of the lease area of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project, located about 43 kilometers off the coast of Virginia Beach.

The project is currently about 60% complete. So far, 168 monopile foundations and 59 transition pieces for 176 turbines have been installed. The first of three offshore substations is in place, deepwater offshore export cables have been laid, and work continues on nearshore offshore export cables and inter-array cables. Onshore electric transmission installation is 93% complete.

CVOW will ultimately feature 176 Siemens Gamesa 14 MW turbines, generating a total capacity of 2.6 GW. Once fully operational in late 2026, it is expected to produce enough renewable energy to power up to 660,000 homes.

Reference: offshorewind

Source: Maritime Shipping News