New Nordic innovation project to future-proof ports for the wind industry

Nordic ports and wind industry collaborate on the ports of the future

The Nordic ports are getting ready to meet the demands that more and bigger turbines and blades place on the ports. Close dialogue with the wind industry’s major players will shape the wind turbine port of the future in a new innovation project.

There is only one way to develop offshore wind: the parks are growing; the turbines get taller and the blades longer.

This challenges the capacity and infrastructure of the shipping ports that handle the wind turbines, which is why wind industry manufacturers and subcontractors have now formed a consortium of eight Nordic ports with the ambition to jointly develop the green harbour infrastructure of the future.

NOW Ports2 is an innovation project that builds on a similar project that has demonstrated the potential of cooperation in the port area. With the support of the Nordic Innovation Fund, the project will be the framework for a joint development of Nordic ports.

From Denmark, Rønne Harbour participates, which is the installation port for Kriegers Flak; Scandinavia’s largest wind farm. Rønne Havn’s Chief Business Officer Jeppe la Cour expects that with cooperation and joint development synergy can be created in the industry:

“It is important that we in the industry share knowledge that can benefit our customers, the environment and the consumer. This is a win in relation to the network and not least the major stakeholders and companies that are on offshore wind”, says Jeppe la Cour.

Ensuring competitiveness

The project runs through 2022 and 2023 and aims to prepare Nordic ports for the expanding offshore wind industry with a stronger green infrastructure. There are 4 million Norwegian kroner from Nordic Innovation and a similar amount in co-financing from the participants for the project, and the hope is to develop strong value chains across park developers and owners, mill manufacturers and subcontractors for offshore wind.

This will be done, for example, through the Nordic Offshore Wind Alliance, which will advise on innovation needs, requirements and expectations for the industry, and develop a supply chain model and multi-purpose port infrastructure to inspire and disseminate best practices from leading Nordic offshore wind ports and their supply chains.

“The concept is important as it contributes overall to setting a framework of expectation between customers – OEMs and developers – and infrastructure suppliers”, says Michael Rud, Manager, Stevedoring &Wind in Jutland:

“Suppliers can gain insight into needs and assess whether or not they want to invest in the same. Ultimately, the concept should support the industry by making it cheaper for customers,” he says.

The collaboration brings value, says CEO Glenda Napier from Energy Cluster Denmark, who facilitates the NOW Ports collaboration in Denmark:

“Ports are a key player in the supply chain on offshore wind. They are the focal point that makes it all possible – installation, operation and maintenance. That is why we need to prepare the Nordic ports for the expanding offshore wind industry, and we need more cooperation and joint innovation across the Nordic countries. This project is an important step in that direction,” says Glenda Napier.

“In order to ensure competitiveness and a high level of activity, we need to jointly put into words what is expected of the port sites in the future offshore wind industry. We have worked with this in the PROJECT NOW Ports, and the result of this innovative process is extremely useful” says Niels G. Langerhuus, CEO, HYTOR A/S.

About Nordic Innovation

Nordic Innovation is an organisation of the Nordic Council of Ministers. Nordic Innovation aims to make the Nordic region a pioneering region for sustainable growth by promoting entrepreneurship, innovation and competitiveness and supports the common Nordic vision that by 2030 the Nordic region will become the most sustainable and integrated region in the world.

The New Offshore Wind Ports in the Nordics project is co-financed by Nordic Innovation as part of our Nordic Smart Mobility and Connectivity programme, which contributes to meeting the goals of the Nordic Business and Innovation Ministers’ Cooperation Programme for Innovation and Business.

Project partners:

Cluster organisations:

• Energy cluster Denmark, Denmark
• Norwegian Offshore Wind Cluster, Norway
• OffshoreVäst, Sweden
• MARLOG, Denmark
• Team Renewable Artic Finland (Gaia Consulting Oy)

Nordic Ports and Super sites:

• Rønne Harbour, Denmark
• Karmsund Harbour, Norway
• Trelleborg Harbour, Sweden
• Eigersund Harbour, Norway
• Wergeland Group, Norway
• Westcon Helgeland, Norway
• Norsea Group, Norway
• Semco Maritime Hanøytangen, Norway

Industry participants:

• KH Machine Factory
• BHS Logistics
• Vestas Offshore Wind
• Hytor A/S
• Jutlandia Terminal
• Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy
• Muehlhan Wind Service
• Kust Win AB
• Semco Maritime – Denmark
• PSW Group – Offshore Wind &Yard /PSW Technology AS
• OX2 AB
• Ørsted
• Vattenfall
• Saga Subsea AS
• Fred Olsen
• Trelleborg Energy
• GMC Maritime
• Miros Group
• Sintef
• Jørn Bolding A/S
• RWE Renewables Sweden AB