JERA Nex bp expands Belgian offshore wind stake
Offshore wind developers and service providers continue to invest across Europe, with JERA Nex bp acquiring additional interests in two Belgian wind farms, Bernhard Schulte Offshore taking delivery of its latest commissioning service operation vessel (CSOV), and WIND Group launching a new cable storage and offshore service hub in Sweden.
Why this news matters:
These developments highlight continued investment across the offshore wind value chain—from generation assets and specialized vessels to cable logistics infrastructure—helping strengthen Europe's capacity to build, operate and maintain offshore wind projects. They also indicate confidence in long-term offshore wind growth despite ongoing supply chain and project execution challenges.
JERA Nex bp expands Belgian offshore wind portfolio
The JERA Nex bp joint venture Hs acquired Sumitomo’s interests in the Nobelwind and Northwester 2 offshore wind farms in the Belgian North Sea.
JERA Nex bp now has outright ownership of Northwester 2 and 80.1% in Nobelwind.
The JV developed, constructed and operates both developments from its operations hub in Ostend, Belgium. Northwester 2, commissioned in 2020, has an installed capacity of 219 MW.
Nobelwind, commissioned in 2017 as the second phase of the company’s Belwind offshore wind farm, has a capacity of 165MW.
BSO takes delivery of fourth CSOV
In other offshore wind news, Bernhard Schulte Offshore (BSO) has taken delivery of ‘Windea Clarke’, the fourth and final vessel in a series of new Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs).
The vessel, which underwent a naming ceremony recently at Ulstein Verft in Norway, will shortly start its first seasonal charter for an offshore wind project in the UK North Sea.
As with the previously delivered vessels, the design is said to provide strong operational performance, energy efficiency and seakeeping.
Ulstein’s TWIN X-STERN solution is claimed to combine good manoeuvrability, reduced motion and improved fuel efficiency with hybrid battery propulsion and will be ready for future methanol operations.
A height-adjustable boat-landing system facilitates transfers between the CSOV and smaller crew transfer vessels.
WIND Group establishes Baltic cable logistics hub
WIND Group and Smålandshamnar have agreed to establish a cable storage and offshore service yard in the Port of Oskarshamn, Sweden.
From here, WIND aims to expand its presence in the Baltic region and also provide cable transportation, cable equipment supply and related offshore services.
The port offers a 435-m quay and a minimum water depth of 10.3 m, supporting ship-to-ship cable transfers. WIND can also offer carousel rental, logistics and marshalling, and maintenance and vessel mobilization services, through its partnership with Draftec.
About the Author
Jeremy Beckman
Editor, Europe
Jeremy Beckman has been Editor Europe, Offshore since 1992. Prior to joining Offshore he was a freelance journalist for eight years, working for a variety of electronics, computing and scientific journals in the UK. He regularly writes news columns on trends and events both in the NW Europe offshore region and globally. He also writes features on developments and technology in exploration and production.