Renewable

October 14 (Renewables Now) - Three Norwegian offshore industry players, Aker Solutions ASA, DeepOcean and Solstad Offshore ASA, have formed an alliance to provide an integrated offering for the offshore wind sector, covering product supply, fabrication and marine services.

The newly created Windstaller Alliance will also pursue other offshore renewables segments. It will market its members’ offering and pursue opportunities where they can cost-efficiently combine their capabilities.

"Today’s supply chain for the offshore renewables market is highly fragmented and, in our view, sub-optimal in terms of efficiency, cost, risk and environmental footprint,” said Windstaller Alliance head Guro Hoyaas Loken.

The expertise of Aker Solutions, which has more than 15,000 employees, includes the fabrication of wind turbine substructures, including four yards, and the provision of subsea and topside equipment. DeepOcean will provide the alliance with subsea installation and service skills through 900 employees and more than 50 remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs), while Solstad Offshore will bring a global presence with more than 3,600 employees and a fleet of 90 vessels.

Windstaller Alliance will be able to offer services across the lifetime of projects. In the preparatory phase, it can deliver engineering services, as well as subsea survey, inspection and site preparation services. In addition, it can provide product deliveries such as subsea technologies plus fabrication of substructures for wind turbines, as well as yard services such as logistics, site management and crane operations.

In the installation phase, it can provide trenching and inter-array cable lay services and carry out towing, mooring, hook-up and commissioning operations.

During the operations phase, the partnership will offer life of field inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) services, construction service operations vessels (CSOVs) and maintenance, modification and operations support for offshore structures.