FAQ – 2021-05-20: Webinar – U.S. Offshore Wind Vessels – Building a Sustainable Fleet for a Sustainable World

Conversions are possible and in some cases fit better with the type of project. However we have seen a growing expectations from operators that newbuilds are realized due to continuously growing demand of wind farms and ever growing vessel spec. In the decade of transformations a conversion could result quite costly if we were to implement systems related to data analysis, performance optimization, new lower emission fuels and predictive maintenance - all of which are expectations for these vessels.

We're all happy to see the overwhelming positive feedback. The co-host companies are working on exploring possibilities for next opportunity for related webinar. Follow our respective homepages and Social Media for updates..

The 500 vessels were not for UK market alone, but for Europe as market (majority shared between UK, Denmark, Netherlands, France etc). Initially the vessels used were all built for other purposes, with exception for the WITVs. To gain efficiency & improve service availability, about 75% of the SOVs today are newbuilds, while remaining are conversions of existing other vessels. Vessels for heavy subsea lift & cable lay were also available, the new vessels today are made due to growth in demand & to optimize performance. As of today approx 2-300 of the 500 vessels should be considered new vessels built with intention to service offshore wind (majority are CTVs).

There is a good understanding of the growth capabilities of the windfarms in the near future, as such the industry has a good understanding of vessel specifications required to cater for this growth. We expect some level of versatility related to upcoming newbuilding projects where vessels built today will be able to service turbines of several sizes.

USCG has indicated that there will not be safety zones related to windfarms in service, however these will be established during construction. USCG jurisdiction has been extended beyond 12Nm through congressional approval to allow for governance in deeper development as well. Although it is not law, majority of deepsea ship owners have expressed their concerns about navigating through these development and will likely use the shipping routes that will be preserved.

We all agree. The co-host companies discussed after our webinar to promote an in-person follow-up event by end of June or beginning of July, in Houston.

Need answer