Hiab lands EUR 23.5m frame deal for offshore wind cranes

Cranes that live inside the turbine

The agreement covers HIAB SWP cranes, a model built specifically for servicing offshore wind turbines rather than for road-going truck work. The cranes are installed inside the nacelle, the housing at the top of the tower that contains the generating equipment, and are used for the routine lifting that keeps a turbine running: hoisting tools and spares up from sea-level platforms, handling components inside the nacelle, and taking deliveries from the helicopter platform above.

It is a demanding duty. The crane spends its life in salt air, is expected to work in weather that rules out most alternatives, and cannot easily be swapped out if it fails. Hiab says the SWP is designed to keep working in those conditions, and points to the fact that this contract extends an existing supply relationship rather than starting a new one.

Order intake spread across three years

The commercial shape of the deal is worth noting for anyone tracking Hiab’s order book. The EUR 23.5 million will not land in one quarter: it is expected to be booked as order intake from the fourth quarter of 2025 onwards, split between quarters until the third quarter of 2028. Deliveries follow from early 2026 until early 2029, depending on when the customer’s individual projects complete.

Five markets, and more to come

The wind farms served under the partnership are in the United Kingdom, Taiwan and the United States, with expansion planned into Germany and Denmark.

“This landmark agreement underscores Hiab’s commitment to creating pioneering solutions that power the future of sustainable energy. They are specifically engineered for unmatched performance in the toughest offshore environments, empowering our customers to maintain critical infrastructure and accelerate the global transition to renewable power with confidence.”

– Alexander Gelis, Vice President, Sales and Product Management, Hiab

Offshore wind is one of the few segments where a truck-crane manufacturer sells a product that never sees a road. The cranes are specified around the turbine rather than around a chassis, and the service intervals are set by the wind farm operator’s access windows rather than by mileage, which makes long-term frame agreements a more natural contracting model than one-off orders.

The deal follows an earlier EUR 5 million order for SWP cranes for offshore wind turbines that Hiab booked in the first quarter of 2024, and reflects a segment that has become a steady niche for the company’s light and medium loader crane division.

Source: Hiab — Photos: Hiab