More Singaporean offshore and marine companies are getting involved in wind projects in Scotland as demand grows

ABERDEEN – Wind turbines generating renewable energy in the North Sea may seem a world away from Singapore, but local companies are establishing a growing presence there, helping to establish important hubs in the global offshore wind supply chain.

Over the years, many Singaporean offshore and marine companies have transitioned from serving the oil and gas sector to also serve the renewables sector, with several relocating assets and calibrating solutions for offshore wind.

For example, Seatrium supplies offshore platforms that transmit electricity generated by offshore wind turbines to onshore grids, while Mooreast provides solutions for anchoring turbines to the seabed. Meanwhile, Cyan Renewables operates vessels to service wind farms.

All of these Singaporean companies have a presence in the UK, home to some of the world’s largest offshore wind farms, and more are exploring opportunities to diversify or expand into the sector. The North Sea is to the east of the UK.

The global offshore wind market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of around 22 percent between 2022 and 2030. The industry is expected to be worth around US$126 billion (S$169 billion) by 2030.

Mr. Alan Yeo, European Director of Enterprise Singapore, said: “In Europe, the green transition is one of the top priorities for governments. There are ambitious plans and targets, and major projects are underway.

“In the UK, there are plans to generate 50GW of offshore wind by 2030, of which 5GW will come from floating offshore wind farms.”

In June, Enterprise Singapore brought nine Singaporean companies to the UK to explore potential offshore wind opportunities.

While Singapore does not have a domestic wind energy market, local companies, particularly those in the oil and gas sector, have the potential to enter the market thanks to their experience in building drilling platforms and supporting offshore operations.

Mr Yeo said: “The scale of infrastructure and assets, as well as the operating conditions in the offshore oil and gas sector, are similar to offshore wind farms.”

He added that marine and offshore energy companies can adapt and participate in areas such as the construction of offshore substations, support vessels and mooring products, which are part of the offshore wind value chain.

Mr Wilson Ang, executive director of the Maritime Industry and Offshore Energy Association of Singapore, said local companies had started entering the offshore wind market in the past five years to take advantage of growing global demand for cleaner energy.

“Offshore wind has been identified as a new growth area for our marine and offshore energy businesses, putting our strong engineering capabilities to good use,” he said.

“Our businesses have already seen success in Taiwan, South Korea, the U.K. and the U.S. We’ll see more in countries like Japan and Vietnam.”