2 minute read
Preface
While the start of the year 2020 was marked by a cautious but widely supported sense of optimism within the industry, meanwhile the world has completely changed. The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic at the beginning of this year has led to a sharp fall in the oil price. This had major consequences for many of the members of the Association of Dutch Suppliers in the Offshore Energy Industry. Unfortunately, due to the current situation many projects have now been cancelled or scaled down and companies are putting their investment plans on hold. Not to mention ‘oil and gas’ are out of favor in Dutch political circles, to say the least.
Therefore, our message and activities have shifted from ‘oil and gas’ to ‘offshore energy’ and ‘energy transition’. We notice with this shift, new opportunities arise. IRO members are involved in everything that happens around energy at sea. Not only have they been installing offshore wind farms for years, more and more initiatives in the renewable energy field are being developed, like floating solar, tidal energy, wave energy and other marine energy sources. Furthermore, in the field of re-use of existing infrastructure the Dutch are quite progressive in this on the North Sea.
There are several green hydrogen pilots and the Dutch plans for carbon capture and storage (CCS) are the most advanced of all CCS projects in Europe. It all happens at sea and many Dutch companies are involved in this area. Our country has long been engaged in corporate social responsibility and is working hard to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. They accomplish this with the in-depth experience they have gained in upstream offshore oil and gas over the years which indicates the quality and reliability of the Dutch oil, gas and offshore renewable industry.
Moreover, our members have been able to use their flexibility and entrepreneurship to translate this into new opportunities in both Offshore renewables and upstream Oil and Gas around the world. For instance, we see opportunities in Suriname, where important oil discoveries have been made. With the arrival of a new president and the attendance of a new Dutch ambassador, we want to support Suriname in getting the oil production up and running. We are able to play a role in this, in a sustainable way, with clean ships that run on LNG and with all the know-how we have to work more efficiently and productively. Next to this, Dutch companies are already involved in Offshore Wind projects in Asia and other places, besides the North Sea. Finally, the keys in these challenging times are collaboration and innovation. Investing in innovative projects together with the industry, knowledge institutes, universities and last but not least the government, are important requirements. A proactive industrial policy is also an essential precondition for a strong export position.
The Dutch offshore industry has been able to withstand the past difficult years and has led a strong foundation for the future. We are therefore convinced that with our knowledge, skills, equipment and mindset we as a Dutch offshore cluster can optimally contribute to today’s challenges and future possibilities that the recent vulnerable situation and the Energy Transition will bring us - both nationally and internationally.
We are proud to present to you the Netherlands Suppliers Catalogue 2021, which gives a clear overview of the activities, products and services of our innovative Dutch offshore energy suppliers. Our members look forward to working with you!
Sander Vergroesen Managing Director
