Offshore wind and maritime wind propulsion sectors see new developments

The offshore wind and maritime sectors are seeing significant developments in infrastructure and propulsion technology. In the North Sea, Boskalis has secured a contract for the Zeevonk offshore wind project, a 2-GW joint venture between Vattenfall and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners. The company will transport and install approximately 149 km of inter-array cables for Phase 1 using the BOKA Ocean vessel, with operations scheduled to begin in 2029.

In maritime research, Wallenius Marine, KTH, RISE, and AlfaWall Oceanbird have launched the WinPrOVeDD project, supported by the Swedish Energy Agency. Running from 2026 to 2029, the initiative focuses on aerodynamic vessel deck design to optimize the efficiency of wing sails and other wind propulsion systems. The project aims to produce open-access design guidelines to assist shipbuilders and owners in transitioning toward wind-integrated vessel designs.