Offshore Wind: Packed audience at Seawork hears about Supply Chain Opportunities for marine companies
The renewable energy industry offers a multitude of supply chain opportunities for marine businesses. At Seawork 2010, Marine South East and Envirobusiness ran a workshop bringing together influential players in the offshore wind sector and presented examples of successful case studies to communicate the important timelines, challenges and opportunities for marine companies looking to get ahead in an industry with exponential growth projections.
The demand for clarity, insight and knowledge sharing was clearly evident as over 100 information-hungry marine professionals crammed themselves into the show conference room.
"We were delighted with the attendance and interactivity of the workshop," commented Richard Barron, Marine South East. "Renewable UK estimate that the capital investment in offshore wind, in the UK alone, will exceed £65Bn by 2020, add to this the potential in operations and maintenance which could be worth as much as £1.6Bn per annum and you have an industry that could create 60,000 jobs for generations to come, reinvigorate our manufacturing sector and open up new export markets which is why it is so important that this opportunity for the marine industry is urgently seized upon and strongly supported at all levels before it is lost forever."
Addressing some of the protocols and key opportunities, Adrian Fox, Supply Chain Manager of The Crown Estate detailed the growth of the industry, the supply chain process and the commanding position of the UK within the sector.
Real-life case studies from companies actively involved in UK and international projects included details about the construction of the London Array wind farm; a 175 turbine project located more than 12 miles off the Kent coast in the outer Thames Estuary. Solent Composite Systems and Gardline Geosciences Ltd also presented details of involvement from supplier and buyer viewpoint.
To download a copy of the presentations from the event please go to http://www.marinesoutheast.co.uk/docs/papers/
Marine South East wrapped up the session introducing the new TIME project, a European cross-border project encouraging co-operation and collaboration between companies and research organisations in the regions of Nord Pas-de-Calais in France, South-East England and Flanders in Belgium. The project focuses on three maritime sectors including security and logistics, fishing and renewable energy, reinforcing once more the opportunity and interest in this burgeoning industry.
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