Saipem in talks to buy floating offshore wind specialist

Italian offshore energy specialist Saipem has entered into exclusive negotiations with a European company to acquire its subsidiary specialising in floating wind technology.

Saipem is in negotiations with France’s Naval Group to acquire its subsidiary – Naval Energies.

The start of the exclusive negotiations was confirmed to Offshore Energy by a spokesperson for Saipem.

“Saipem confirms that it has started exclusive negotiations with Naval Group for the acquisition of the floating wind activity of Naval Energies,” the spokesperson said.

Naval Group announced back in February that it was ready to sell its floating wind subsidiary and focus solely on its core business – the naval defense.

The transaction is reportedly expected to be completed in June.

Naval Energies (formerly DCNS) has been involved in the development of floating wind technology for more than 10 years.

Back in 2018, Naval Group decided that Naval Energies was to shift its focus solely to floating wind and exit the tidal energy market.

Last year, the company secured double certification from DNV for its semi-submersible floater Design Basis, as well as for all of its major design methods.

Naval Energies has also partnered with Hitachi Zosen to develop floating wind projects off Japan using the company’s semi-submersible technology.

The company’s semi-submersible floating offshore wind turbine foundation was tested under constraint and certified by Bureau Veritas in 2017.

Italy’s Saipem is increasingly turning its focus to offshore wind.

In France, Saipem is currently involved in the construction of the 450 MW Calvados offshore wind farm where the company is tasked with designing, constructing, and installing the wind farm’s monopile foundations.

At the Saint-Brieuc offshore wind farm, Saipem will use its crane vessel Saipem 7000 to transport and install the wind farm’s offshore substation jacket and topside.

France has recently launched its first auction for the development of a large-scale floating offshore wind farm.

The wind farm will have a capacity of up to 270 MW.

Under the the Multiannual Energy Programme (Programmation pluriannuelle de l’énergie), France is in the process of putting 8.75 GW of offshore wind capacity out to tender by 2028.

This includes the abovementioned project in the South Brittany zone.

Two floating wind tenders for projects in the Mediterranean with capacities of around 250 MW are scheduled for 2021 and 2022.

This will be followed by a tender for a 500 MW floating wind project off Brittany scheduled for 2024.

From 2024 onward, France will tender 1 GW per year of either fixed-bottom or floating wind capacity, depending on the cost.

France already has seven offshore wind projects in the pipeline, including the 600 MW Dunkirk tender held in 2019 and the six projects approved earlier. There are also four demonstration floating wind projects under development.

In total, France will have up to around 12.4 GW of fixed-bottom and floating offshore wind capacity either in operation or under development by the end of 2028.

NOTE: The original article has been amended to add the quote by the spokesperson for Saipem.