ULO Systems has more than half a century’s experience within the global offshore construction industry, providing high-quality grouting products and services. And with demand increasing within the offshore wind segment, ULO is gearing up for growth. General Manager Gregory Sauvage and Senior Executives discussed the latest developments, during an in-depth interview with Imogen Ward.
When it comes to the offshore industry, UAE-based ULO Systems is a name renowned for quality. After dedicating a vast amount of time to expanding its capabilities across the entire offshore industry, the company is busier than ever.
“ULO is divided into two areas of expertise –products and projects – and we have grown rapidly on both sides,” explained General Manager Gregory Sauvage. “2024 has seen more projects initiated within the offshore wind segment, while the products side of the business is heavily focused on delivering to the Middle East region.”
Supporting new projects
To date, the offshore wind industry has been a successful endeavour for ULO, which has successfully delivered around 280 jackets (equating to more than 2.5GW of offshore wind energy).
One major project that has contributed significantly to these figures is Hai Long
Offshore Wind Project in Taiwan. Designed to have a total capacity of around 1.02GW, the idea for Hai Long materialised from the country’s desire to spearhead renewable energy development and implement a more localised industry.
This project not only marks a significant milestone for Taiwan, but also breaks new ground for ULO as the company’s first GW venture within the country.
“This has been a huge achievement for us, and an incredibly successful one at that,” said Mr Sauvage. “In 2024 alone, we performed offshore grouting operations for 37 jacket foundations and two offshore substations in line with the client’s objectives, and our performance was exceptional all year long.”
In total, in Taiwan alone, ULO has successfully grouted 100+ jackets foundations, largely for its customers BOSKALIS and CDWE, with the use of its vessel the Green Jade (Taiwan’s first offshore installation newbuild vessel),
which has been launched in Taiwan since 2023.
Each jacket was constructed using SikaGrout-9800, which was chosen for its reliability and localised production.
“We have to ensure that all elements of the jacket are up to standard and have high strength capabilities, because these structures need to support high-capacity turbines in heavy wind, 150 metres above ground level,” continued Mr Sauvage.
“SikaGrout-9800 fit those requirements, and we worked closely with Sika Taiwan to ensure the whole project ran smoothly,” explained Brendan Vaz, ULO Systems Engineering Manager.
The company is also working on several major projects in Saudi Arabia, where it has established its own division called ULO Saudi Arabia. This company is under the management of Sami Kanaan.
With localisation in the Kingdom increasing swiftly, ULO is keen to invest in this crucial area of business.
“ULO Saudi Arabia is now building its own double shaft mixer, which is being constructed entirely, from design to operational start-up, locally and with prime involvement of Saudi nationals,” added Mr Kanaan. “This will make a significant difference to our Saudi-based operations as the Kingdom continues to advance towards maximised localisation ahead of Vision 2030.”
This dedication to localisation is matched by ULO’s unwavering commitment to quality. According to Mr Sauvage, there are no second chances when it comes to getting things right.
In 2024 alone, we mobilised 37 jacket foundations and two offshore substations in line with the client’s objectives, and our performance was exceptional all year long.
“In terms of design, we need to make sure our foundations are strong,” explained Mr Sauvage. “So, we carry out cube testing strictly as per customer specification on several separate stages, including seven days after casting and at the 28-day mark, at which point the casting is sent off to a third-party lab for verification. If the results come back below a specified value, then the whole foundation could be rejected, so it is incredibly important that we get things right first time.”
This meticulous approach to quality is a cornerstone of ULO’s operations, and it will play a vital role as the company embarks on its ambitious plans for expansion.
A broadening scope
With expansion on the cards for 2025 and beyond, ULO has its sights set on several major regions; the first being Asia Pacific. With the region’s wind activities on the rise, ULO is witnessing a lot of great development in Taiwan, Korea, Japan and Australia.
“We have already seen the completion of a pilot project in South Korea, and the
country has since announced its plans for the future development of 15GW of fixedbottom wind farm installations,” commented Mr Sauvage. “Japan has also laid out ambitions for increasing its offshore wind capacity reaching up to 40GW by 2040, and Australia is close behind with its goals to implement an additional 25GW of offshore wind capacity to its power grid. With numerous opportunities on the horizon, we are confident that this market will remain a source of promising prospects in the years to come.”
ULO is also interested in expanding its activities out further into Europe, having completed a long list of successful projects in the North Sea and Baltic Sea regions. As a starting point, the company is looking to extend its local set up with a new offshore yard in the UK.
“Traditionally, we have entered these regions via the oil and gas industry,” said Mr Sauvage. “However, we are more focused on new wind energy opportunities within the region. In the past, we had a yard in Holland for local mobilisation, but now we are also growing our presence in the UK and its fast-expanding wind industry.”
Not only would this help ULO provide a more localised service within the UK, but with the company keen to recruit local graduates, it would also mean more positive economic growth for the area.
“We have had a lot of positive experience over the years working with UK-based offshore personnel, especially within our European projects,” continued Mr Sauvage. “So, we will continue to hire technicians and engineers from the region and mobilise directly from there.”
ULO has also been busy on the other side of the Atlantic, developing a strategic partnership with a US-based company, which it hopes will help expand its presence in the region.
A bright future
Although the energy mix future is not certain, especially with the industry undergoing such a prominent transition, Mr Sauvage is excited to see what it will hold for ULO Systems.
“A lot of the people tackling wind energy today, were working within the oil and gas industry 10-15 years ago, so there’s a whole host of knowledge being transplanted from one segment to another, all of which will be crucial for continued success,” said Mr Sauvage, in conclusion. “The energy industry in general continues to grow, and it will be interesting to see where it leads us in the near future.
“Until then, ULO Systems will maintain its customer-centric approach, because our ability to listen to our customers is what helps us stand out against the competition. It also ensures we remain innovative and attuned to their specific needs. We strive to build a team culture to go above and beyond each and every time, to ensure excellence, surpass expectations, only targeting to achieve outstanding results.”
It also ensures we remain innovative and attuned to their specific needs, while going above and beyond each and every time.” n
