Electric Cranes Hit the Baltic as Palfinger’s Polish Wind Deal Points to All-Electric Decks

November 11, 2025

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Palfinger Marine has secured a contract to supply fully electric offshore jib cranes for the Bałtyk 2 and Bałtyk 3 offshore wind farms in the Polish Baltic, a 1.44 GW project developed by Equinor and Polenergia. The DKJ500e cranes will be built in Gdynia and installed on the two offshore substations, alongside additional electric platform cranes that will serve 100 Siemens Gamesa turbines.

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Simple Summary in 30 Seconds

Palfinger is supplying fully electric cranes to big new offshore wind farms in the Polish Baltic Sea. These cranes run on electric power instead of oil-filled hydraulics and are built for long, low-maintenance service on unmanned substations. For shipowners, it’s a clear sign that future offshore wind work will expect clean, modern support vessels that can match this “all-electric” setup. Owners with young, wind-ready SOVs and CSOVs are well placed to win business, while older offshore tonnage may struggle to meet the new standard.

⚡ What changed

Major Polish wind projects chose fully electric cranes as standard gear on their offshore substations, replacing traditional hydraulic systems and locking in a more modern, low-leak setup for day-to-day lifting work.

🚢 Why shipowners should care

These wind farms will need service vessels for decades. Developers are likely to favour vessels that fit the same low-emission, high-tech profile as the cranes: strong DP, good motion control, and clean power systems.

🔍 What to watch next

How quickly other Baltic and North Sea wind farms copy this “all-electric” approach, and which owners are willing to order or retrofit vessels so they can meet these new requirements early.

📌 Bottom line: Electric cranes are another step toward fully electric offshore wind assets. Offshore owners who align their fleets with this direction gain a head start on long-term Baltic and North Sea service work; those who delay may end up competing mostly for older, lower-margin projects.

Story	Summary	Business Mechanics	Bottom-Line Effect
Palfinger’s Fully Electric Cranes Land in the Polish Baltic
World’s first fully electric offshore jib cranes	Palfinger Marine will supply DKJ500e fully electric offshore jib cranes for the substations at the Bałtyk 2 and Bałtyk 3 wind farms off Poland, together with additional electric cranes. The projects total 1.44 GW and are being built by Equinor and Polenergia for start-up toward 2028.	Contract covers substation cranes built in Gdynia and integrates with earlier platform crane awards for the same farms, standardising lifting technology across the field.	📈 Positive signal for long-lived offshore O&M work in the Polish Baltic; 📉 owners without wind-capable tonnage risk missing a growing regional market.
From hydraulic packs to fully electric drives	The DKJ500e cranes use electric drive systems rather than traditional hydraulic power units, reducing oil use and enabling remote operation and diagnostics designed for unmanned substations.	Fewer hydraulic components, lower spill risk, simplified maintenance and stronger fit with all-electric or hybrid offshore assets and ESG expectations.	📉 Slightly higher initial equipment cost and integration work; 📈 lower lifetime maintenance, cleaner decks, and a better story for charterers focused on emissions and leakage risk.
Power integration with offshore substations	Electric cranes draw from the substation’s power system and are designed to work with regular service visits by SOVs and CSOVs transferring tools and spares in Baltic conditions.	Coordination of crane loads with substation power management; alignment with DP patterns and gangway operations of service vessels during lifting campaigns.	📈 Well-specified SOVs/CSOVs with modern power management and motion-comp systems become more attractive in tenders; 📉 older offshore tonnage without compatible systems may be sidelined.
Bałtyk 2 & 3 as part of a wider Baltic build-out	Bałtyk 2 and 3 are among the largest energy projects in Poland, with 100 turbines planned and financing secured. They sit alongside other Baltic and North Sea wind projects that are locking in multi-year construction and O&M scopes.	Developers need dedicated service bases and long-term vessel support, creating recurring work for SOVs, CSOVs and specialist offshore support craft.	📈 Structural demand tailwind for owners with credible offshore wind fleets or the capital to pivot into this space; 📉 opportunity cost for operators who stay purely in legacy offshore oil roles.
Spec benchmark for future projects	Using fully electric cranes on major Baltic projects sets a reference point for future wind farm tenders in Europe, where equipment choices increasingly favour low-emission and highly automated solutions.	Newbuild and retrofit decisions for offshore units must factor in electric deck gear compatibility, digital interfaces, and OEM support models tied to this standard.	📉 Higher capex and more complex specs for owners upgrading or ordering vessels; 📈 better access to premium, long-term charters once vessels meet the new technical baseline.
Notes: Effects depend on the pace of Baltic and North Sea wind investment, how quickly electric crane technology is adopted elsewhere, and each owner’s willingness to invest in offshore wind-capable vessels.

Baltic Offshore Wind Snapshot

Bałtyk 2 & 3 scale

Two offshore wind farms off Poland, together around 1.44 GW, planned to power roughly two million homes once fully online.

Timeline

Turbine and substation installation ramps up later this decade, with commercial operations expected around 2028.

Vessel demand

Construction and long-term service will call on SOVs/CSOVs, cable layers, jackups, and support craft able to work to modern “all-electric” specs.

Where this helps owners

Fields built around fully electric cranes need reliable, modern support vessels for decades of inspections, repairs, and parts runs.

Owners with young, DP-capable SOVs and CSOVs can pitch “low-leak, low-noise” service packages.
Hybrid and battery-assisted tonnage fits the same decarbonisation story as the electric deck gear.
Early familiarity with these cranes gives a practical edge when more Baltic and North Sea projects follow.

Where this raises the bar

Once electric cranes are the reference, older vessels and equipment look dated, even if they still work well.

Legacy offshore units without modern power and data links may fall down the tender list.
Retrofits add capex and yard time, and may still not match the newest specifications.
Owners focused only on oil and gas work risk missing a growing pool of wind-driven demand.

Crane Tech Shift in One Glance

Traditional offshore cranes

Hydraulic systems with large oil volumes, more hoses and seals, and more on-site maintenance. Proven, but harder to position as “clean” on new renewables fields.

Palfinger’s fully electric jib cranes

Electric drives with minimal exposed components, designed for remote checks from shore and lower spill risk. Built for unmanned substations and long service intervals.

Owner takeaway

The more projects ask for all-electric lifting gear, the more pressure there is for support vessels and crews to match that standard in power, controls, and documentation.

Impact on Offshore Owners (Directional)

Area	Relative impact bar
Wind-focused SOV/CSOV demand
Need for tech upgrades on older units
Day-rate upside on premium, “green” tonnage

Bars are directional only and highlight where pressure and opportunity are likely to show up as Baltic and North Sea wind projects multiply.

Palfinger’s move into fully electric offshore cranes at Bałtyk 2 and 3 underlines how quickly Baltic offshore wind is setting new technical standards for lifting equipment and support vessels alike. For offshore shipowners, the deal is a reminder that future O&M work will favour modern, low-leak, digitally connected units that can operate comfortably alongside all-electric platforms.

As more Polish and wider European wind projects follow a similar template, the owners who lean into this shift early through newbuilds or targeted retrofits may be better placed to secure long-term contracts in a market that is becoming more selective about both emissions and equipment. Those who hesitate may still find work, but increasingly on legacy projects and at more competitive rates.

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By the ShipUniverse Editorial Team — About Us | Contact