C-Ventus Opens UK Office, Readies for New Projects Across Europe (Interview)

The Netherlands-headquartered offshore wind O&M and IRM specialist, C-Ventus, opened an office in the OrbisEnergy building in Lowestoft, UK, in January. Following the announcement, Offshore WIND spoke with the company’s Managing Director Hans Reinigert, Peter van Veen, Commercial Manager in the Netherlands, and Jeremy Hardin, who has been appointed as the Commercial Manager at C-Ventus UK.

C-Ventus has carried out various BoP campaigns in the UK over the recent years, including corrosion protection and coating repair works, survey assignments, inspections and repairs both above the waterline through rope access and below it through diving and use of in-house ROVs.

Speaking about the most recent projects in the UK, Hans Reinigert said: “Last year, amongst others, we performed corrosion protection and coating repair works at the Race Bank and Walney offshore wind farms, and a bolt replacement campaign, both subsea and above the waterline, at the Ormonde offshore wind farm.”

Setting up the UK office will now enable the company to be closer to its existing client base and to strengthen its position in the UK by building on an established track record, according to Hans Reinigert. He added that the UK O&M market is locally driven and that C-Ventus already has a very experienced operational UK team behind its new base, which will enable it to make the switch from ad-hoc assignments to long-term service contracts.

According to Jeremy Hardin, C-Ventus’s ability to offer the full package of works, both above and below the waterline, puts the company in a strong position, especially when it comes to delivering a cost-effective approach to operations and maintenance (O&M).

“We have long-term O&M contracts across Europe and we aim to build on our track record in the UK to take on such long-term contracts in the UK.” Jeremy Hardin said.

Operating on some 15 wind farms annually

Mostly working as a subcontractor but increasingly in the capacity as main contractor to operators,  C-Ventus has been engaged in operations on numerous offshore wind farms across Europe since 2011, from installation to operations and maintenance (O&M).

“On average, we are operating in some 15 offshore wind farms annually, across the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium,” Hans Reinigert said.

Aside from the UK, one of the biggest markets for C-Ventus is Germany, where it has performed a number of campaigns and is now looking at a new potential large O&M contract on which the company hopes to make an announcement shortly.

Just like the UK, the German offshore wind sector offers evermore O&M opportunities, for which          C-Ventus is well positioned. With a strong base in Belgium and the Netherlands and following the set-up of the UK office, further expanding in the German market is also something that the company is eyeing in the short term, according to the C-Ventus management team.

Expansion, both geographically and in terms of the services offered, is being aided by the new team in the UK which brings additional expertise and experience in blade inspections and repairs as well as on cable repairs, allowing C-Ventus to offer a wide range of services to meet market demand across Europe.

“We see clients focusing more and more on long-term O&M solutions where they want to have a direct relationship with the actual providers of the services, and we are expanding to be a ‘one-stop-shop’ that can meet clients’ demand for long-term O&M services and to provide full turnkey solutions,” Peter van Veen said.

Under long-term O&M contracts, C-Ventus has worked on Egmond aan Zee and Princess Amalia Windpark in the Netherlands; Nordsee One, Butendiek and DanTysk in Germany as well as Ormonde in the UK.

When it comes to inspection, repair and maintenance (IRM), C-Ventus lists a number of projects including: Burbo Bank in the UK, Belwind, Northwind and Thornton Bank in Belgium, Luchterduinen and Westermeerwind in the Netherlands, and Gode Wind and Veja Mate in Germany.

Written by: Adrijana Buljan; Editing: Offshore WIND Staff