€42 billion global market will need ‘hundreds’ of SOVs

In the UK, a government-funded study has been commissioned to evaluate the potential for UK shipbuilders over the next few years.

Shipbuilder APCL Cammell Laird will be paid £200,000 (€239,000) for a three-month study to assess the UK’s offshore wind vessel-building potential.

The National Shipbuilding Office, Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult and the Crown Estate – in other words, the taxpayer – will fund the analysis, which will emphasise the potential for SOVs (Service Operation Vessels).

“With over 850GW of offshore wind capacity expected to be installed globally by 2050, there is a need for major growth in the production of SOVs to support this expansion,” says ORE Catapult.

“Analysis carried out by ORE Catapult shows that hundreds of these ships are likely to be in operation around the world in the years to come, with an associated global market of nearly £35 billion (€42 billion) between now and 2050.”

“There is significant predicted domestic and global demand for Service Operation and Crew Transfer vessels over the coming decades, which I believe the UK shipbuilding sector is well placed to compete for and win market share,” said National Shipbuilding Office CEO Rod Paterson.

The focus is also likely to be on vessels that can operate with alternative fuels or batteries, in a bid to reduce the use of diesel, such as Bibby Marine’s eCSOV, pictured.

“One particularly interesting output from the study will be the feasibility assessment of low or no-emission SOVs operating in the UK, acknowledging the importance of decarbonising the offshore wind sector itself and of the operation and maintenance of wind farms,” said Offshore Wind Strategy director Will Apps, with the Crown Estate.