A2SEA now major shareholder in CT Offshore

It creates an organisation able to provide many of the individual project requirements from windfarm developer through to the burying of the export cable.

A2SEA acquired 29% of CT Offshore’s shares in 2011, and has now increased that figure to 67%, becoming majority shareholder. CT Offshore’s founder and CEO, Paw Cortes, is reported to have retained the remaining 33% of the shares, with each company staying at their respective locations. While still relatively young companies, both have expanded in recent years on the back of the parallel growth of the industries, particularly throughout Europe.

Based in Frederica Denmark, A2SEA also has offices in Hamburg and London, reflecting the three most active countries in Europe’s expanding wind energy business. Founded in 2000 from what they describe as a ‘one-man entrepreneurial company based on personal drive and individual, firsthand solutions’, A2SEA has become a major player in the turbine installation market, attracting the attention of other major industry players along the way. Since July 2009, A2SEA has been 100% owned by DONG Energy Power, with Siemens Wind Power becoming a part owner in the company just sixteen months later. While the various elements of windfarm development will always comprise a mix and match nature, the resulting enterprise, now also including CT Offshore’s cable installation and maintenance expertise, could be viewed as a ‘turnkey’ style operation, involving the main elements of a typical project; energy provider, turbine supplier, along with turbine and cable installation providers.

A2SEA’s fleet ranges from two examples of early entrants into the installation market, to a next generation jack-up installation vessel under construction in China. Sea Power and Sea Energy, converted in 2002 from ro-ro cargo vessels into semi-jacked installation vessels, retain seagoing abilities including a multi-purpose component feeder capability. Sea Jack and Sea Worker are conventional jack-up barges, both currently active in European waters. At the time of writing Sea Worker was busy installing the first turbine at the London Array windfarm, having previously installed many of the foundations and transition pieces.

Formed in 2002, CT Offshore is a privately owned company that has built up a considerable fund of experience, offering consultancy and services in the cable laying and maintenance repair market. Its reference list comprises a long record of various subsea cable services, predominantly within the offshore wind industry. The fleet comprises an eclectic mix of small yet practical vessels, including the converted Scottish ferry Sia, now active as a cost effective vessel ideally suited for inter-array cable operations. Another interesting conversion is a converted Scandinavian fjord catamaran ferry, renamed Nico and equipped for ROV and dive support operations.

By Peter Barker