Maersk Launches New Company Dedicated to Offshore Wind

July 3, 2024, by Adnan Durakovic

Maersk Supply Service has launched Maersk Offshore Wind, a new company that will provide installation services to the offshore wind market based on a new offshore wind installation vessel (Maersk WIV) concept.

The design and concept are estimated to reduce the installation time of offshore wind turbines substantially compared to conventional methods, thereby lowering the overall installation cost for the developers, Maersk Supply Service said. The first vessel will be delivered in 2025.

The global offshore wind market continues to see substantial growth supported by ambitious targets in the EU and US of a total installed capacity of at least 90 GW offshore wind by 2030, and over 400 GW by 2050. Offshore wind deployment needs to speed up to meet these demands, and Maersk Offshore Wind said the company can reduce installation time by about 30 per cent, which means faster energy delivery and lower installation costs, leading to better total installation economics.

”We need new solutions to meet the ambitious goals for offshore wind capacity in Europe and the US. Maersk Offshore Wind’s concept can reduce the installation time of offshore wind turbines by almost one-third, delivering energy to the grid faster and lowering total installation costs increasing the competitiveness of our customers when they bid for new projects. We are establishing Maersk Offshore Wind as an independent entity to leverage our decades of offshore expertise and accelerate the development of the offshore wind industry,” Martin Larsen, CFO of A.P. Moller Holding and Chair of Maersk Offshore Wind, said.

Michael Reimer Mortensen has been appointed CEO of Maersk Offshore Wind. Mortensen previously held the position of Chief Commercial Officer at Maersk Supply Service.

”With our highly skilled and experienced team leveraging decades of expertise in operating large assets and executing complex offshore projects, Maersk Offshore Wind will focus on providing offshore wind installation services worldwide to improve both the installation process and address critical port infrastructure needs,” Mortensen said.

”We look forward to continuing our partnerships with leading developers and industry stakeholders to further accelerate the deployment of offshore wind thereby enabling sustainable and affordable energy to communities worldwide.”

Maersk Offshore Wind is a spin-off from Maersk Supply Service, who designed and developed the Maersk WIV and have marketed the concept since 2018. The company currently has around 40 employees. Maersk Offshore Wind is owned by A.P. Moller Holding and will be headquartered in Denmark.

The Board of Directors consists of Chair Martin Larsen, CFO at A.P. Moller Holding, Morten Engelstoft, professional board member, Marianne Sørensen, professional board member, and Maria Pejter, Head of HR at A.P. Moller Holding.

Maersk Wind Installation Vessel

Maersk WIV is developed to be permanently stationed at the wind farm to conduct successive installations, while purpose-built tugs and barges shuttle back and forth with the wind turbine components from the load-out port.

Both the Maersk WIV and the feeder vessels are equipped with new locking and stabilising technology enabling safe operations in harsh environments, reducing the number of days required to install the wind park. The concept is projected to reduce the number of days required to install an offshore wind park by 30 per cent.

The first Maersk WIV is currently under construction in Singapore at Seatrium. The vessel is expected to be delivered in mid-2025 for the installation of the Empire Offshore Wind project in New York, owned by Equinor.