Preface: Challenging times ahead for the offshore energy industry

Challenging times ahead for the offshore energy industry

Due to geopolitical developments the international goals for lowering hazardous emissions to slow down the climate change are under siege. As a result many countries face inflation and economic downturn partly due to high and volatile costs for energy.

The Offshore Energy Industry plays a crucial role in the energy transition process. It can support a controllable transition process: it provides security of supply of the required energy, builds wind energy farms and supports new innovative renewable energy sources.

The Offshore Energy Industry can help countries to be more self sufficient in oil and gas supplies in order to support smooth next steps in the energy transition process. Many countries are still depending on oil and gas for their energy supply.

Although we still rely on conventional energy sources we must realise that investors are stepping away from conventional energy faster and more massively under social pressure and responsibility to make their portfolio more sustainable. A difficult position since we still rely on conventional energy sources to offer security of energy supply worldwide. Nonetheless, our members have faced many challenging situations and always found a way to rise the challenge.

The Dutch offshore industry has been one of the top five in the world for more than fifty years. This position is due to a strong cluster of suppliers. Innovative companies are commissioned by the major energy companies to build, transport, maintain and clean up platforms, transformer stations and wind turbines after use. They play already an important role in the current energy transition, which is largely being realised at sea.

IRO believes that the Dutch offshore industry will remain a major player in the global offshore market, in particular through the use of smart techniques and solutions for the many issues concerning the offshore energy transition.

Great opportunities and challenges lie in making processes more sustainable. Ships can sail cleaner, on LNG and later perhaps also methanol or hydrogen. In addition, platforms and activities at sea can be made even more efficient and environmentally friendly.

How do we see our future? The IRO members are flexible and seize the opportunities that arise. It doesn’t matter what needs to be done at sea, the IRO members will get it done.

Therefore we are proud to present to you the Netherlands Suppliers Catalogue 2023, 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

IRO - The Association of Dutch Suppliers in the Offshore Energy Industry www.iro.nl