The rapid development of offshore wind farms around the world opens new opportunities for companies and vessels normally engaged in the offshore oil & gas industry:
China is the next big market as there are more wind farms under construction and planning then anywhere else in the world:
https://www.windpoweroffshore.com/china
NZ may be the next to receive offshore windmills in itâs waters:
Floating windmills in deeper and o\more windy areas in the south to follow?
Cross over from offshore oil & gas to offshore wind industry is happening worldwide:
The Russians are preparing for the opportunities that is opening in the worldwide offshore wind market:
https://portnews.ru/news/296582/
Maybe not best to be first in new tech (you will get cloned and copied), but last is much worse.
What skill sets make boat personnel more valuable for wind?
Depends on what department you belong to.
For Engine room personnel it would be qualifications and experience from diesel/electric and hybrid propulsion, since most of the wind support vessels, now and in the near future, is/will be of that type.
For bridge (Wheelhouse) personnel DP certification and experience is required. (Most SOVs are DPII or III)
For Deck crew it would be to have some additional qualifications to AB, like Crane Operator, Rigging and Slinging Certificate, FRC and/or HLO Certificate etc.
But for ALL and most of all, the ability to adjust to a different type of work environment and willingness and ability to learn as the jobs and technology change over time.
China is fairly new to Offshore Wind, but they are getting ready for a rapid development, domestically and around the world.
The first Wind Farm Installation vessel to be Chinese built for Chinese owners has been ordered:
Not bad for a fisherman with learning disability and very little formal education:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kjell_Inge_Røkke#:~:text=Kjell%20Inge%20Røkke%20(born%2025,a%20leading%20worldwide%20fisheries%20business.
His first job was as a greaser on the Factory Trawler Labrador:
But moved to USA in 1979 to work on trawlers in Alaska, eventually buying his first 69â trawler in 1986.
He saw opportunities in the Pollock fishery in the Berings Sea
He got support from Norwegian and Japanese interests to introduce modern Factory Trawlers with facilities to produce Surimi for the Japanese market on board.
The trawler Labrador:
Blt 1974.
The Japanese jumped on the band wagon early by investing in European offshore wind companie, gaining knowledge and technology.
Now they bring that experience home to develop Offshore Wind Farm in home waters and participating elsewhere:
Thatâs an interesting graph, even though the global population is surging and becoming more developed oil demand is predicted to stay about the same at best, perhaps even decline a lot if Paris Agreement is met.
More, larger and more sophisticated vessels are needed to meet the demand of the worldwide offshore wind market.
Yet another large Cable Layer is coming from Vard BrattvĂĽg in mid-2021:
https://www.offshorewind.biz/2020/07/29/clv-leonardo-da-vinci-launched-final-outfitting-in-norway-upcoming/#:~:text=CLV%20Leonardo%20Da%20Vinci%20Launched%2C%20Final%20Outfitting%20in%20Norway%20Upcoming,-July%2029%2C%202020&text=The%20hull%20of%20Prysmianâs%20new,media%20post%20on%2028%20July.
New Construction Vessels that can handle the new large wind turbines that is being introduced is also needed: https://www.oht.no/oht-enters-turbine-installation-market/
But is is not only larger and different types of vessels that is needed, The same goes for equipment to go with it:
https://www.rivieramm.com/news-content-hub/news-content-hub/specially-designed-trencher-can-bury-cables-to-a-depth-of-5-m-60422#:~:text=A%20uniquely%20capable%20trencher%20developed,a%20depth%20of%205%20m.
Vessels to handle this new big equipment is also needed. The Boka Falcon has been equipped with a 250 m.t. SWL A-Frame to handle the trencher:
The demand for new equipment, able to meet ever more stringent requirements, are being met by manufacturers and owners hungry for business:
The market is also expanding to new parts of the world:
https://www.windpowermonthly.com/article/1690728/mhi-cip-first-target-offshore-wind-off-hokkaido#:~:text=Mitsubishi%20Heavy%20Industries%20(MHI)%20and,Japanâs%20northernmost%20island%20of%20Hokkaido.
Belgian contractor Jan de Nul has completed laying the cables that connect the Changhua TPC to the grid in Taiwan:
While Dutch shipping company Jumbo Offshore has prepared their DP2 HLV Jumbo Javelin to perform transport and installation of wind turbines for the Yunlin Offshore Wind farm, also in Taiwan:
https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/solis-marine-supports-mobilisation-of-offshore-installation-vessel-jumbo-javelin-in-singapore/
Van Ord secure one more contract for offshore wind farm installation.
This time in home waters:
Shell and Eneco combining in a joint venture in wind is interesting. BP is also concentrating more on alternative energy and divesting some fossil assets in order to do so. Embracing the future of energy is admirable but I wonder what, if any, lock they have on the technology or location of the wind farms? If any corporate entity can make a wind OPEC those guys will figure out a way to do it. 
BP change their slogan to âBeyond Petroleumâ many years ago to show their new emphasize on renewable energy. They may not have been too persistent, but are now back on track(??):
The Danish Oil & Gas Company (DONG) has sold out of Oil and Gas and is now only in renewable energy under itâs new name Ărsted:
https://orsted.com/en/about-us
The Norwegian state oil company Statoil (Now Equinor) is also heavily into offshore wind power, incl. floating windmills:
Both companies are actively participating in the US offshore wind industry.
Another Offshore wind project has started operation in Europe:
https://mhivestasoffshore.com/first-power-achieved-at-blauwwind-project/
More coming on line in the near future. Even more under construction or being planned.
Get the full worldwide picture:
https://www.4coffshore.com/windfarms/
