EDITORIAL COMMENT


When the wind changes direction


If the current offshore wind farm support boom really is set to fizzle out within five years’ time, vessels built for this purpose should be designed to be as versatile as possible.


W


ell, if you wanted to hear a few dozen opinions concerning offshore wind turbine farm


support, this year’s Seawork show was clearly the place to be. Te June exhibition in Southampton, UK, saw seemingly everybody from shipyards to propeller and safety equipment manufacturers holding court on the subject. What soon became clear is that the average


take on this market sector’s remaining life expectancy appears to be three to five years – by which time, presumably, the majority of offshore farms will be up and running and generating clean energy for households spanning Scotland to South Korea. Late entries to this sector may be forgiven


for kicking themselves; one exhibitor confided: “If you’re not in the game now, forget it, it’s too late.” While this may well be true in some respects, it remains a rather Euro-centric view; certainly nobody has passed on the message to the Asian yards and solutions providers. Staying with the UK, the government’s


Committee on Climate Change recently reported that the activities of large onshore wind farms are already “close to competi- tive” with burning natural gas, and are likely to equal this latter form of energy genera- tion by 2020. On the face of it, offshore wind farms look as if they should follow this schedule and make a valid contribution to the Committee’s efforts to reduce the UK’s carbon emissions. However, not everybody in Britain views


the onshore wind farms so favourably. Te presence of the highly visible power lines that have sprung up alongside onshore


Ship & Boat International July/August 2011


farms has provoked public disquiet in some rural areas, most notably in Wales. Although this remains a fairly minor


issue at time of going to press, could this opposition deepen over the next few years? And, if it does, could vocal condemnation of the scheme come to include the construction of offshore wind farms? And will other countries pitch in and voice their disapproval? No doubt, some proponents of renewable energy may feel as if they have been shot by both sides on this issue.


“It would be a pity if we closed the decade with a surplus of vessels unable to adapt to future challenges”


At present, it is hard to make a call on how


things will pan out; the offshore wind farm support sector is genuinely experiencing such fast-paced activity that rattling off predictions for the next 12 months seems futile. Nonetheless, if we adhere to the industry


consensus that another five years is about as long as the marine sector can exploit the demand for wind farm construction, another important question is raised – what will actually happen to all these wind farm support vessels, currently providing the bread and butter for so many designers and builders at present? Te most obvious


solution is for such vessels to incorporate as many multipurpose elements as they can. As highlighted in our interview with CTruk this issue (see page 32), it makes economic sense to ensure that vessels are able to handle as many tasks as possible, increasing their scope for securing varying charter arrangements and granting them a commercial shelf life expanding far beyond the current wind farm support sector boom. From seismic research capabilities,


to piloting and oil skimming, the more functions that these boats can perform, the better, in ensuring that the boats remain viable profit-makers. This is especially important considering that there is no slowdown in the production of bespoke specialist vessels from those yards that have made certain niche sectors their priorities over the past decade. It would be a real pity if, given the


commercial opportunities that the offshore wind sector has presented to boatyards of late, we then closed the decade with a surplus of vessels unable to adapt to future challenges. Having seized upon the gold rush, it might be unwise to view these opportunities solely within a three-to-five year timeframe. Te most astute designers and shipyards


will no doubt be looking to the next up-and-coming market trends and ‘future- proofing’ their requirements accordingly. Specialisation will always have its place for ongoing sectors, such as patrol boats for naval and police authorities. A more temporary market, however, highlights the need for versatility and an ability to cope beyond the peak period. SBI


7


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64