The UK must “rapidly increase” its investment in order to service the multi-billion-pound floating wind mooring and anchoring market, a leading trade body has warned.
With a whopping 40GW of new projects due to arrive around the world, Global Underwater Hub (GUH) said the UK “cannot underestimate” the scale of the challenge.
Based on ORE Catapult cost projections, GUH said anchoring and mooring alone is a £9bn market, which also takes a “substantial share of the near £43bn balance of plant inspection, maintenance and repair market over a 25 year lifespan”.
GUH is making a bid to establish the UK as a global centre of excellence for mooring and anchoring systems, and will set out more detail at a conference in Newcastle next month.
As it stands, ScotWind alone will require more than 9,000 anchors, 9,000 lengths of chain and 4,000 km of rope, along with 9,000 bouyancy units, according to GUH.
CEO Neil Gordon said: “Those requirements are likely to increase several fold in the not too distant future. Research and development in turbines continues to push for larger MW output and that creates a knock-on effect on all other components which will also have to increase in size.
“Our supply chain’s track record in the design, manufacture and installation of anchor, chain and moorings for rigs and floating production vessels in oil and gas and large-scale aquaculture mooring puts us in pole position. But, even taking that potential to transition into floating offshore wind into account, the size of the market shift is enormous.
© Supplied by Wullie Marr/ DC Thom“We cannot underestimate the sheer scale of what is required and the UK supply chain must look at how it will rapidly increase capacity to meet demand.
“By demonstrating we have the expertise and capacity to deliver novel solutions and best practice in the art of mooring and anchoring systems, the UK underwater supply chain can set a global operational benchmark with a genuine international competitive advantage.”
Global Underwater Hub’s first Offshore Mooring and Anchoring Systems Conference and Workshop will take place in Newcastle on March 6.
Several developers and supply chain firms will make presentations including Flotation Energy, Ossian, Intermoor and First Marine Solutions, among others.
For more info, go here.
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