Ørsted and PGE have completed the first phase of seabed preparation for the Baltica 2 offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea, a key step ahead of cable installation.

Boskalis’ Boka Falcon vessel has cleared and conditioned around 150km of corridors for inter-array cables linking the turbines to offshore substations, with the project now moving into a second phase to ready a further 260km route for export cables.

The preparation process for cable installation began with geotechnical surveys along the designated cable paths.

PGE Baltica management board president Bartosz Fedurek said: “Although we are still ahead of installing the first Baltica 2 components offshore, the works preparing the Baltic Sea seabed for foundation installation and cable laying are already very advanced.

“After creating the corridors enabling the installation of cables linking the turbines, contractors are moving on to prepare the route for the cables that will export power. Soon they will be connected to the onshore cable section.

“This will ensure that once Baltica 2 is commissioned, the electricity generated at sea will be transmitted to the onshore substation in the Choczewo municipality, and then into the National Power System.”

Contractors conducted thorough checks for unexploded ordnance, ensuring safe continuation of activities, and did not find any such hazards along the intended routes.

Subsequently, large boulders, some measuring up to 2m, were removed from both inter-array and export cable paths using specialised equipment like the T-Rex plough operated by the Boka Falcon vessel.

Cable trenching commenced at the end of 2025, with the Megalodon plough preparing the seabed for future cable laying.

The finished segment comprises 150km of inter-array cable corridors.

The upcoming phase involves preparing a 260km route for export cables, with future installation to be handled by the Ndurance and Boka Ocean vessels, both operated by Boskalis.

Baltica 2 is projected to have an energy capacity of approximately 1.5GW and is set to become Poland's largest offshore wind farm upon completion in 2027.

The forthcoming stages this year involve installing foundations, export cables and offshore substations.

Subsequent steps will include connecting turbine foundations to offshore substations with inter-array cables.

Testing of an onshore substation is also scheduled within this time frame.

Once operational, Baltica 2 aims to contribute to Poland's energy transition by supplying clean electricity to more than 2.5 million households.

Ørsted vice-president and managing director of the Baltica 2 project Ulrik Lange said: “Completing works on the inter-array cable routes means we are closing a key stage of seabed preparation for the connections between turbines.

“The quality of trenching and corridor preparation directly affects installation safety and the protection of the cables once they are laid. We are now focusing on the next offshore work package, maintaining the pace and sequence of activities in line with the project schedule.”