US firm to build offshore vessels fleet

UNITED STATES: Wind service provider Aeolus Energy has unveiled an "aggressive building plan" to create a fleet of vessels specifically for offshore wind projects in the US.

The first offshore project in the US, Deepwater Wind's 30MW Block Island site, under construction in 2016 (pic: Jeff Grybowski)

Florida-based Aeolus Energy was formed in 2012 and provides operations and maintenance to onshore wind projects in the US.

Now the firm wants to expand into the US' offshore wind sector, which is set to grow exponentially in the 2020s.

It plans to build a fleet of vessels that qualify under the US's Jones Act, which requires ships operating in US waters to be owned by US companies and crewed by US citizens.

Under the plans, Aeolos will build jack-up vessels capable of carrying the next generation of 10-12MW turbines; cable-laying ships; and service and crew transfer boats.

It will also develop the necessary port facilities in Massachusetts and Maryland, the company said.

"We expect to create over 4,000 jobs in the coming years. [Aeolus Energy] sees this investment as our demonstration of confidence in the US market," said CEO Elia Golfin.

"The initial projects are well into their development — what is lacking is a US construction fleet, trained American workers and port facilities to do the work. That is what we intend to create," Golfin added.