OHT Sees Uptick in Demand to Transport Offshore Wind Equipment to China

Oslo-listed Offshore Heavy Transport has said it has recently experienced an uptick in demand for the transportation of offshore wind equipment to China.

"OHT’s fleet of semi-submersible heavy transportation vessels have been busy transporting offshore wind equipment to China, supporting the huge surge in development of offshore wind farms in the fast-growing market. This followed OHT’s largest transportation project to date, which saw three of OHT’s transport vessels engaged in offshore wind foundation transportation from the UAE to Scotland for the majority of 2020," OHT said Monday.

The Oslo-based company used to bring in 80% of its business from the oil and gas sector, however, it recently said it planned to exit from oil and gas markets by 2026, with the exception of decommissioning.

"The latest series of projects includes the transportation of DEME Offshore’s Apollo from Rotterdam and the transportation of two additional liftboats and a jack-up barge from Abu Dhabi in the UAE. The four units are being transported to various locations in China, all destined for installation projects in the Chinese offshore wind market," OHT said.

Three of OHT’s five heavy transport vessels are have recently transported or are preparing to transport assets to China which will each begin installation on three separate Chinese wind farms. 

OHT's MV Falcon vessel recently transported the jack-up barge JB118 from Abu Dhabi, UAE, to Guangzhou, China, and has recently discharged liftboat QMS Gladiator in Xiamen, where it will be utilized for the Changle offshore wind installation project. The liftboat, measuring over 100m in length and weighing more than 10,000 MT, was transported from Abu Dhabi in the UAE.

The MV Albatross heavy transport vessel is mobilizing to transport the nearly 15,000 MT jack-up wind turbine installation vessel Apollo, from Rotterdam in the Netherlands to Guangzhou in China, where it will be working on the Yuedian Shaba offshore wind installation project.

Meanwhile, MV Osprey, also headed to Guangzhou, is preparing to transport another self-elevating platform from Abu Dhabi, UAE, with arrival estimated in May. The liftboat will be used for offshore construction projects in Southern China, OHT said.

Apart from the traditional side of its business, being the transportation of heavy equipment using its heavy transport vessels, OHT is also working to build a fleet of offshore wind installation vessels.

Its Alfa Lift offshore wind foundation installation vessel, being built in China, will debut at the giant Dogger Bank offshore wind farm in the UK North Sea. It will install all monopile foundations and transition pieces for Dogger Bank Phases A and B between 2022 and 2024.

OHT in October 2020 has also ordered an offshore wind turbine generator installation vessel, which will mark the heavy-lift and transportation company's entry into the offshore wind turbine installation business.