Charybdis, the giant wind turbine installation vessel built for Dominion Energy, has arrived in Virginia after nearly five years of construction. It is the first vessel of its kind registered in the United States and one of the largest worldwide. According to The Maritime Executive, it will begin turbine installation later this September as part of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project.
The vessel berthed on September 17 at the Portsmouth Marine Terminal in Hampton Roads. AIS data shows it departed Texas on August 22. Built at Seatrium AmFELS in Brownsville, Texas, Charybdis measures 144 x 56 meters, accommodates up to 119 people, and features a 426-foot crane capable of lifting up to 2,200 tons, including next-generation turbines rated at 12 MW and above.
Construction began in December 2020, the vessel was launched in April 2024, and officially delivered in early September 2025. Built and registered in the U.S., Charybdis complies with the Jones Act, giving it operational advantages over foreign-flagged vessels previously used in American offshore wind projects.
The CVOW project is currently about 60% complete.
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168 monopile foundations and 59 transition pieces have been installed, for a total of 176 turbines;
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the first of three offshore substations is in place;
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deepwater export cables have been laid;
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onshore transmission lines are 93% complete.
Construction is on schedule and expected to finish by late 2026. Once operational, Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind will become the largest offshore wind farm in the United States, with 176 Siemens Gamesa turbines rated at 14 MW each and a total capacity of 2.6 GW.
