Related Wind Firms Create Single O&M Provider

Four well-known renewables firms have joined forces to create an unparalleled operations and maintenance (O&M) service provider for offshore wind farm operators. The Fred. Olsen related companies – led by Fred. Olsen Windcarrier and with Global Wind Service, Natural Power and ZephIR Lidar – have come together to offer the full range of their services through a single contact point. The scope will include inspections, major component exchange, integrated service campaigns, blade repair, high voltage management, life extension, decommissioning and repowering. This alliance means clients can source the complete range of O&M services through a single contracting body, which will reduce risk and management interfaces, simplify contracting and lower costs.

Fred. Olsen Windcarrier’s Chief Executive Officer Even Larsen said: “Together we have the people, vessels and expertise required to ensure offshore wind owners maximise the generating potential of their plant. “Clients will benefit from a single point of contact with a dedicated programme manager who has access to more than 1200 highly skilled employees, each working to the same vision and with the highest commitment to health and safety. The four companies have a wealth of compatible competencies that can now be accessed through a single entry point within Fred. Olsen Windcarrier.”

The joint initiative comes at a time when the O&M sector has emerged as a significant industry in its own right, accounting for approximately 25 per cent of a wind farm’s lifetime costs. “With offshore wind capacity increasing in Europe and around the world, we recognised it was an opportune time to consolidate our complementary skills, shared industry commitment and previous cooperation”.

The O&M initiative is the culmination of a plan envisaged by the Fred. Olsen companies some 25 years ago, when they were early to recognise the potential of offshore wind and started to grow their network of complementary renewables businesses. With a global presence, Natural Power, Fred. Olsen Windcarrier, Global Wind Service and ZephIR Lidar are able to build on almost 170 years of maritime and shipping experience and can trace their renewables history back to the early 1990s.

Even Larsen added: “The launch of this cooperation between like-minded Fred. Olsen related companies to create a single market-facing entity is further confirmation of our dedication to the offshore wind industry and commitment to achieving long-term relationships with clients.”

More information about the integrated O&M service offering can be found here.