Powerful wind alliance: SEACOR Marine, Fred. Olsen Windcarrier

Written by Marine Log Staff
image description

A SEACOR Marine subsidiary and Fred. Olsen Windcarrier worked together on the first commercial offshore wind farm in the U.S., Block Island Wind

MARCH 30, 2018 — In a move that signals the growing opportunities in the nascent U.S. offshore wind energy, a subsidiary of SEACOR Marine Holdings, Galliano, LA, will team up with Norway’s Fred. Olsen Windcarrier AS to “exclusively contribute vessels and marine/installation crews to the market and operate a full spread of offshore wind installation and feeder vessels.”

The cooperative agreement between SEACOR Marine’s Falcon Global LLC and Fred. Olsen Windcarrier, a wholly owned subsidiary of BONHEUR ASA (Oslo Stock Exchange: BON.OL) makes for a powerful alliance.

Falcon Global has one of the largest existing U.S.-flag and Jones-Act compliant lift boat fleets in the U.S. Fred. Olsen Windcarrier has one of the most sophisticated fleets of Wind Turbine Installation vessels. The Falcon Global vessels will form a feeder-solution of up to four vessels depending on installation parameters.

The efficiency of the vessel spread will shorten installation periods and reduce costs, which will feed renewable energy onto the grid sooner than alternative installation methods.  In addition, the vessel spread will enable access to the existing ports and infrastructure. 

As you might recall, Falcon Global vessels and Fred. Olsen Windcarrier successfully installed the five turbine Block Island project in 2016, the first offshore wind farm in the U.S. The project was installed in only 18 days and with zero safety incidents.

Currently, several offshore windfarms are planned along the U.S. North East Coast in 13 leased areas, as reported by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in Washington, DC. (BOEM).

In a statement, SEACOR Marine Holdings President & CEO John Gellert, said, “We look forward to working with Fred. Olsen in delivering safe, reliable and efficient solutions to our wind customers in the US, and Europe. This agreement is not only the first significant announcement for our investment in Falcon Global, but also a major milestone for SEACOR Marine, as we continue to implement our strategy of diversifying our customer base outside of oil and gas markets, and expanding in windfarm services where we already have a substantial presence with Windcat Workboats in Europe.”

Meanwhile, Ketil Arvesen, Vice President of Fred.Olsen Ocean, added: “The two companies combine the best of U.S. marine expertise and Jones Act compliant liftboats with European offshore wind know-how and class leading jack-up vessels for the upcoming U.S. offshore wind farms. This unique combination of available assets and experience in an exclusive agreement will enable installation of multi megawatt offshore turbines in the U.S., bringing business case certainty to the developers. We are proud to team up with Falcon Global and SEACOR Marine in an exclusive agreement to make this happen.”

 

Categories: Renewables Tags: , , , ,

Leave a Reply