As the world rides the pandemic roller coaster with countries opening and closing to travel, we at Breakbulk Events & Media continue with the weekly BreakbulkONE newsletter to keep the industry connected and supply welcome good news. Here’s a selection of subscriber favorites from the last few months. KNOWLEDGE HUB: ENERGY
OFFSHORE WIND CREATES BUSINESS AND CHALLENGES
Project Cargo Summit Explores Project Logistics BY GARY BURROWS
Offshore wind farms aren’t only growing in number; the size and amount of power each turbine can deliver is growing rapidly as well. The volume and size of components is ratcheting up logistics challenges to safely and efficiently deliver components to offshore wind farms developing globally. The topic was a key focus of the Project Cargo Summit, which was held virtually in Rotterdam, Feb. 10-11. Breakbulk Events & Media was an event partner. GE Renewable Energy is leading the drive with its recently developed Haliade-X offshore wind turbine. The units range from 12 megawatt to 14MW capacity, with a 220-meter rotor and 107-meter blade. It also boasts a 60 percent to 64 percent capacity factor, the average power generated, divided
by rated peak power, whereas the industry average is 42 percent. The Haliade-X has already been selected as the preferred wind turbine for projects totaling 4.8GW: • Skip Jack Wind Farm, a 120MW farm to be built offshore Delaware, U.S. • Dogger Bank Wind Farm, a 3.6GW, three-phase North Sea farm off the east coast of Yorkshire, UK. • Ocean Wind, a 1.1GW farm off the coast of Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. Ward Gommeren, GE Renewable Energy’s managing director – regional senior sales director offshore wind – Benelux, said that with production on project components this year, there is great focus on logistics and safety in moving the giant wind components. Fortunately, GE Renewable Energy’s plant in Saint-Nazaire, France, where generators and nacelles are
manufactured, has water access so components can be transported to a marshalling harbor. Gommeren said GE seeks logistics partners that can provide innovative solutions for a safe and effective transport, while following specific technical requirements “on the quay side and the vessel side, for least possible risk.” Moderator Tobias Pleffers said with the bigger turbines and nearshoring, some freight forwarders are not expecting to be involved in offshore wind business as manufacturers tend to deal with shipping companies directly. One exception, however, is Vestas and Panalpina’s recently announced exclusive freight forwarder agreement with the new models. Gommeren responded that GE is looking at near-shoring with a dedicated organization, but the approach is global. As for partnerships, GE does a “full investigation of our potential suppliers and partners” to build long-term alliances.
‘MAN ON THE MOON MOMENT’
Carlos Eduardo Lima da Cunha Moderator Tobias Pleffers interviews Ward Gommeren of GE Renewable Energy. CREDIT: PROJECT CARGO SUMMIT
50 BREAKBULK MAGAZINE www.breakbulk.com
European Commission
Interest in offshore wind energy has grown rapidly and globally, propelled by governments pushing towards carbon neutrality, investing in programs such as the European Green Deal, ISSUE 2 / 2021
