Norwegian energy company Equinor announced that the Empire offshore wind project is approximately 80 percent complete, but has fallen behind schedule due to delays in the construction of American ships. The company emphasized that these delays were beyond its control and predicts that this offshore wind farm off the coast of New York will generate its first electricity by mid-2027.
Construction and Installation Challenges
Torgrim Reitan, Equinor's CFO, stated during an investor conference call on October 28 that despite work stoppages and challenges ahead, the project is still progressing. He added that top side construction is expected to begin in late December, and the company hopes to produce its first electricity in the first half of next year.
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Shipbuilding Issues and Project Delays
Equinor has chosen a collaborative installation system with Maersk Wind, which has built its installation vessel, Maersk Viridis, at the Seatrium facility in Singapore. This vessel, with a capacity of 40,000 gross tons, faced construction challenges due to disputes with the shipyard. These issues have been resolved, and the vessel arrived in Pascagoula, Mississippi, in August. The ship is currently undergoing training and testing for its unique barge system.
The installation system of this vessel includes a set of tugboats and barges designed to transport materials from a storage point in Brooklyn, New York, to the installation ship. Equinor has informed investors that it is awaiting the tugboats and barges currently being built in the United States, which has caused a "several-month delay" for the project.
Equinor also reported that 54 turbine foundations have been completed, and the marine infrastructure and cabling work have also been finished. Empire Wind is located 14 miles south of Long Island and is designed to produce 810 megawatts, which will be transmitted to the Brooklyn shore and fed into the local energy grid managed by Con Edison.
The Empire Wind project is one of five offshore wind projects currently under construction, which faced challenges from the previous U.S. government (Trump administration). In mid-2025, a stop-work order was issued as the project was being installed. Reports indicate that the Prime Minister of Norway has also intervened in this matter, and the Trump administration reached an agreement to allow the project to continue with the state of New York.
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