Maersk Offshore Wind launched as supply service division sold

DOF Offshore Holding Denmark has agreed to acquire all the shares in Maersk Supply Service for roughly USD1.1 billion. Included in the deal are 22 vessels, consisting of eight construction support vessels, 13 anchor handling tug supply vessels, and one cable layer. DOF Group said the deal strengthens its service offering and position in a strong oil and gas market and a growing offshore wind market.

As that deal was announced, Maersk confirmed the launch of Maersk Offshore Wind. Michael Reimer Mortensen has been appointed ceo of the new division that has spun-off from Maersk Supply Service where he held the position of chief commercial officer.

At the heart of Maersk Offshore Wind is a bespoke offshore wind installation vessel (Maersk WIV) that is developed to be permanently stationed at a wind farm to conduct successive installations, while purpose-built tugs and barges shuttle back and forth with the wind turbine components from the load-out port.

Both the Maersk WIV and the feeder vessels are equipped with locking and stabilising technology enabling safe operations in harsh environments. The concept is projected to reduce the number of days required to install an offshore wind park by 30 percent, said Maersk.

The first Maersk WIV is currently under construction in Singapore at Seatrium. The vessel is expected to be delivered in mid-2025 for the installation of the Empire offshore wind farm, owned by Equinor and located on the US East Coast.

Martin Larsen, chief financial officer of A.P. Moller Holding and chair of Maersk Offshore Wind, said: “We need new solutions to meet the ambitious goals for offshore wind capacity in Europe and the USA. Maersk Offshore Wind’s concept can reduce the installation time of offshore wind turbines by almost one-third, delivering energy to the grid faster and lowering total installation costs increasing the competitiveness of our customers when they bid for new projects. We are establishing Maersk Offshore Wind as an independent entity to leverage our decades of offshore expertise and accelerate the development of the offshore wind industry.”