Published by The Maritime Executive

Published by The Maritime Executive

Published by The Maritime Executive

Published by The Maritime Executive

Published May 12, 2022 7:54 PM by The Maritime Executive

Projects are getting underway in both France and Japan seeking to advance the development of floating wind turbines and support the countries’ efforts to develop renewable power sources. Floating wind turbines are viewed as an important technology that will help to widen the applications for wind power generation to a wider range of geographies and move further offshore. BW Ideol is participating in both projects with its technology for floating foundations for wind turbines seeking to provide additional confirmation for its designs. 

The EolMed partnership, comprising Qair, TotalEnergies, and BW Ideol, reports that it has made the final investment decision for a 30MW offshore floating wind development after confirming financing in part arranged by the European Investment Bank. The bank arranged for more than a quarter of the total cost of the project which is projected at over $300 million. The Mediterranean Sea pilot wind farm is set to become one of the first three floating offshore wind farms in France when it is commissioned in mid-2024.

“This is a major milestone for the EolMed project and for BW Ideol,” said Paul Dupin de la Guérivière, CEO of BW Ideol. “This decision to proceed with the construction and installation of the wind farm reflects years of planning and preparation,” he said while noting it would reinforce floating wind technology in France.

Eolmed will be installed approximately 11 miles off the coastal town of Gruissan, on France’s Mediterranean coast north of the border with Spain. It will consist of three 10MW wind turbines, each mounted on BW Ideol’s patented floating steel foundations and connected to France’s Electricity transmission Network (RTE) by an undersea cable. 

Separately, in Japan, BW Ideol is working with one of the major Japanese utility companies, Tohoku Electric Power Co., to develop a commercial-scale floating wind project in Iwate prefecture, located on the northeastern coast of Honshu, Japan's main island. Tohoku is separately participating in several other projects, including onshore and offshore wind power as well as solar power as part of its target of developing 2GW of capacity, centered on wind power.

BW Ideol and Tohoku are initiating the feasibility studies necessary to jointly develop a commercial-scale floating offshore wind farm. The two companies intend to collaborate to contribute to the early commercialization of cost-competitive floating offshore wind power in Japan.

Japan is a very promising market for floating offshore wind technologies due to its geographies according to BW Ideol. They believe that the project will further contribute to the advancement of floating wind power in Japan.  

Published May 13, 2022 7:47 PM by The Maritime Executive

Dutch startup Eco Clipper, which looks to develop global sail cargo operations, has announced the sailing schedule for its first vessel, a smaller two-masted sailing ship acquired in January 2022. The 110-year-old ship is seen as a proof of concept and an opportunity to draw attention to the company’s efforts to build modern adaptations of traditional sailing ships that would carry up to 500 tons of cargo. De Tukker is the first in a fleet of low-impact sailing ships which...

Published May 13, 2022 6:55 PM by The Maritime Executive

Faced with the need for heightened preparedness in Europe, the navies of the U.K. and the U.S are looking at the possibility of using commercial tankers to carry out at-sea refueling for warships.  As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, the Royal Navy has announced that it has been paving the way for NATO to use commercial tankers for underway replenishment after its auxiliary ship Tidesurge linked up with the U.S.-flagged, government-chartered tanker Maersk Peary in Lyme Bay. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) supports Royal Navy warships...

Published May 13, 2022 6:50 PM by The Maritime Executive

A 30-year-old cruise ship rebranded Margaritaville at Sea Paradise is ready to start the latest adaptation of a well-known consumer brand into the cruise industry. With a performance from famed singer Jimmy Buffet, the new cruise operation completed an industry preview at the end of the week and will start its maiden voyage on May 14 to the Bahamas.  The cruise ship arrived back at the Port of Palm Beach, Florida on May 10 after undergoing an extensive refurbishment and...

Published May 13, 2022 6:23 PM by The Maritime Executive

U.S. researchers and scientists will soon embark on a 10-day expedition to explore and investigate the shipwreck of the Civil War vessel USS Monitor, which sank 160 years ago off the North Carolina coast. On May 15, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientists and partner researchers will set out on an expedition to survey the Monitor for the first time since her turret was recovered in 2002. The remains of the iconic Civil War ship lie sixteen miles off the coast of Cape...

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