Leonardo da Vinci vessel loads subsea cable in Kirkkonummi for Sofia offshore wind farm

The Leonardo da Vinci vessel is currently docked in Kirkkonummi at the Pikkala cable factory, where an Italian crew is loading approximately ten million kilograms of subsea cable onboard. This shipment is headed for the Sofia offshore wind farm, which is rapidly being constructed in the North Sea, about 200 kilometers from the northeast coast of the UK. The project is particularly significant as the EU strives to enhance its offshore wind capacity.

According to Mikko Heikkilä, head of strategic grid planning at Fingrid, while initial targets focus on the Baltic Sea, the North Sea has substantial development plans. Once operational in 2026, the Sofia wind farm is expected to generate electricity for 1.2 million British households. The project is owned by RWE, one of Germany’s largest energy companies. The Pikkala cable factory, part of the Italian Prysmian Group, produces cables designed to withstand underwater depths between the Dogger Bank and the British coastline.

In a recent report from the Ministry of the Environment, strong growth is expected in the offshore wind sector over the next few decades. Prysmian’s Finnish CEO Ferdinando Quartuccio noted that the market for subsea cables has doubled in the past four years and anticipates further increases in demand as the EU aims for climate neutrality by 2050.

New hybrid offshore wind farms are being planned between Finland and Sweden, as well as between Estonia and Latvia, allowing for the efficient distribution of wind energy. Investments in this sector are crucial, and while costs have recently increased, future declines in carbon emission prices and advancements in wind technology are expected to bolster competitiveness against fossil fuels.