Solid-state DC breakers enabling safe and smart onboard DC systems
As the offshore wind industry scales to new heights, the vessels enabling this growth must be just as advanced. In collaboration with Kongsberg Maritime, Astrolkwx is proud to contribute to the electrification and digitalization of the Cadeler A-Class Wind Turbine Installation Vessels (WTIVs) designed to meet the high-performance demands of modern offshore operations.
The multi-bus DC ring system, engineered by Kongsberg Maritime and protected by Astrol’s 1.5 kV, 3 kA solid-state DC breakers. These advanced breakers offer ultra-fast, arc-free fault isolation, ensuring optimal safety, uptime, and resilience in demanding marine environments.
Built for scale, designed for precision
With a massive 5,600 m² cargo area, main hoist height up to 200 meters, and DP2 dynamic positioning, the A-Class WTIVs are engineered for high-precision turbine installation, even in harsh offshore conditions. To support such mission-critical operations, the vessel’s DNV classed onboard DC power system must be both smart and robust. Our solid-state DC breakers interrupt short-circuit currents and power overload within microseconds, minimizing fault impact and securing safety.
A future-proof collaboration
Kongsberg Maritime’s expertise as system integrator was key to achieving a safe and intelligent power architecture. By integrating Astrol’s solid-state DC breaker technology, the Cadeler WTIVs benefit from modular protection, low maintenance, and future scalability, paving the way for efficient and sustainable offshore wind construction.
This project demonstrate what’s possible when innovation meets collaboration. Together with Kongsberg Maritime, we are proud to enable the next generation of offshore wind vessels.
