Boskalis’ newly commissioned subsea rock installation vessel Windpiper has begun its maiden assignment at Polish offshore wind projects in the Baltic Sea, placing the first protective rocks for export cables, MarineLink Maritime News reported on 10 September 2026.

The 227-metre-long Windpiper arrived at the Bałtyk 2 and Bałtyk 3 wind farms to undertake cable protection operations, marking the vessel’s first operational deployment since commissioning. The work is focused on safeguarding the farms’ export cables against seabed movement and other risks.

MarineLink identified the assignment as the vessel’s maiden job and reported that the initial rock placements have been completed for the export cable routes serving the two Bałtyk projects. Boskalis brought the Windpiper into service specifically to carry out subsea rock installation tasks on offshore wind and infrastructure programmes.

Vessel role and task

As a subsea rock installation unit, Windpiper is designed to place rock material accurately around subsea cables and structures to provide mechanical protection and promote stability on the seabed. On this operation the principal task is protection of export cables that connect the wind farms to the onshore transmission network.

The operation at Bałtyk 2 and Bałtyk 3 represents the vessel’s transition from commissioning into active service, demonstrating its capability to perform precision rock placement in demanding offshore conditions. The work is a standard but crucial element of wind-farm construction, reducing the risk of cable exposure or damage during the operational life of the arrays.

The Bałtyk projects and their export cables

Bałtyk 2 and Bałtyk 3 are offshore wind developments located in the Baltic Sea and require subsea protection measures for their export circuits. Protective rock placement is routinely employed on export routes to mitigate hazards posed by currents, fishing activity and seabed instability.

The initial placements carried out by Windpiper form part of that protective scheme and are an early element of the farms’ broader construction and commissioning phases. Precise rock installation around export cables is a common requirement ahead of full grid connection activity.

Boskalis has positioned Windpiper as a specialised asset for such work, equipping it to support the growing demand for subsea rock installation across offshore wind projects. The company’s deployment of the vessel to Polish waters underscores the international market for purpose-built rock-placement tonnage as wind developments proliferate in the Baltic region.

The deployment to Bałtyk 2 and Bałtyk 3 also signals the practical entry into service of Windpiper following recent commissioning. MarineLink’s report framed the assignment as the vessel’s maiden project and noted the placement of the first rocks protecting the farms’ export cables.

A short factual summary:

  • Vessel: Windpiper, a subsea rock installation vessel.
  • Operator: Boskalis.
  • Projects: Bałtyk 2 and Bałtyk 3 offshore wind farms, Baltic Sea.
  • Task: Placement of protective rock for export cables.

The operation will continue to form part of routine preparatory measures required before export cables enter prolonged service. Windpiper’s arrival on the Bałtyk projects highlights the specialised logistics and marine engineering employed to secure the subsea elements of offshore wind infrastructure.