Major construction projects increasingly span multiple jurisdictions, contractors and insurance programmes. This case study shows how close collaboration between adjusters in Belgium, France and Germany helped establish liability, coordinate technical investigations and achieve an efficient claims outcome following damage at a major offshore wind development.
Project Overview
The Dieppe–Le Tréport Wind Farm is a major offshore wind development located in the French sector of the English Channel. With a total installed capacity of 496 MW, the project comprises 62 Siemens Gamesa wind turbines of 8 MW each. The wind farm is expected to generate around 2,000 GWh annually, sufficient to supply electricity to approximately 850,000 people.
The project is developed by an international consortium. Construction and installation activities are performed by a specialised international contractor active in dredging, offshore energy, environmental works, and infrastructure. Its insurance programme is placed in Belgium through a Belgian broker, with a Belgian insurer as the lead insurer.
The Port of Cherbourg serves as a key logistics hub for its offshore wind projects in France. Jacket foundations for the wind farm are manufactured in Spain and transported to Cherbourg, where they are stored and prepared for offshore installation.
The Incident
On 21 May 2025, an incident occurred during handling operations at the Port of Cherbourg. A 32-tonne steel follower was being prepared for lifting after arriving without the transport cradles required for safe handling.
Rather than rejecting the delivery, the site team attempted an alternative lifting method using timber supports. During the manoeuvre, the forklift was unable to position itself correctly beneath the load. Once the securing chains were removed, the trailer beams deformed, causing the component to fall and strike a nearby crane owned by a French crane company.
A cross-border investigation
Alecto Consulting, appointed under the Belgian insurance programme, instructed McLarens France to undertake the local investigation. Working alongside the insured’s Belgian headquarters, the French site management team and QHSE personnel, the adjusters reconstructed the circumstances surrounding the incident while assessing potential liabilities.
The contractual structure reflected the international nature of the project. The damaged component had been produced by a Dutch supplier and transported by a Dutch logistics company, while lifting operations had been carried out by a French subcontractor using a crane hired from a French rental company. The incident occurred in France, the insurance programme was placed in Belgium and the applicable legal framework was French law.
This combination of jurisdictions, contractual relationships and technical specialists meant that effective coordination between adjusters in each country was essential to maintaining momentum and ensuring a consistent approach to the investigation.
Establishing liability
The investigation concluded that liability rested with the insured.. The decisive factor was the decision by the insured’s on-site supervisor not to refuse delivery of the follower despite the absence of the required cradles, and to proceed with an improvised lifting operation.
Based on the contractual analysis, the insured’s liability was limited to direct material damage. Claims for consequential immaterial losses, such as loss of use or rental income, were excluded.
Technical coordination across Europe
The damaged crane was initially inspected in France. It was quickly agreed that repairs could not be undertaken locally and that the crane would need to be transported to the manufacturer’s workshop in Germany for dismantling and detailed technical assessment.
Given the technical complexity of the equipment, Alecto appointed its German network partner, GtE, to undertake the inspections. Two site visits were carried out, before and after dismantling, allowing the repair methodology to be agreed and the damage fully assessed. Meanwhile, McLarens France coordinated discussions with the French insurers and subcontractors, while parallel inspections of the damaged trailer took place in the Netherlands.
A broader lesson
Major infrastructure projects often bring together multinational contractors, complex supply chains and insurance programmes that span several jurisdictions.
As this case demonstrates, successful claims handling depends on much more than technical expertise alone. Early collaboration between adjusters, technical experts and insurers across different countries enabled liability to be established efficiently, contractual issues to be resolved and technical investigations to proceed without unnecessary delay.
