Charybdis, First U.S.-Built Wind Turbine Installation Vessel Begins Sea Trials

Charybdis, the first U.S.-built wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV), has officially started its sea trials in Brownsville, Texas.

The vessel, which is nearly complete at Seatrium AmFELS shipyard, will play an important role in constructing the 2.6-gigawatt Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project, the largest offshore wind initiative ever approved in the United States.

Standing at 472 feet long, Charybdis has been constructed using over 14,000 tons of domestic steel, with nearly 10,000 tons sourced from Alabama, North Carolina and West Virginia.

The CVOW project, located off Virginia Beach, is now halfway finished and is on track for completion by late 2026. The project has already installed 16 transition pieces and it has received its first 4,300-ton offshore substation at Portsmouth Marine Terminal.

The pr…

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