5 key questions from aspiring APAC wind ports, answered
The offshore wind market is growing rapidly, but in many regions, there’s an acute lack of port capacity to meet the demand. In Asia–Pacific (APAC), this means increasing wind port capacity fourfold over the next decade. It’s a huge opportunity, but it isn’t without hurdles.
At Haskoning, we want to help APAC ports capitalise on this market, gain new revenue opportunities, and play a key role in the global transition to more renewable energies.
In this blog we’re answering five common questions about developing ports for offshore wind to make this growing market more accessible for APAC ports.
5 common questions facing aspiring APAC wind ports
The challenges you’ll face will depend on the unique context and situation of your port – and the complexity of your operations.
In general, deeper berths and wider channels will add complications. Furthermore, the bearing capacity of the quay to deal with the increasing weight of components/turbines is a very distinctive investment for wind ports. But if the base envelope of your port can be maintained, upgrading it to a wind port should be more than achievable.
Quay capacity and jack-up requirements can be higher for wind ports than existing operational limits. This is often the case for fixed bottom staging ports and can become a major constraint and cost for an expansion. Available land area is also an important consideration, as ongoing port operations can limit storage areas.
Having the right consultant on board is crucial to properly plan for these potential limitations. They can help ensure you have the most appropriate technical specifications for the project and correctly define any future project developments or expansions.
Designing a successful wind port demands a combination of expertise in port engineering, shipyard design, manufacturing processes and production lines, market trends, commercial capabilities, and offshore considerations.
It’s also beneficial to have a broad understanding of global developments in offshore wind so you can apply learnings from other countries to your own specific environment.
The European offshore wind market is more mature than in APAC, so it provides an opportunity to get an understanding of different port requirements from completed projects. You can also look at other continents like Europe to improve your understanding of the market and future regional growth.
Having said that, it’s also important to keep challenging the industry to ensure offshore wind becomes even more accessible and achievable.
This will depend on your port’s current facilities and the level of development you plan to undertake.
If you’re adapting an area of your port to support the offshore wind industry it could take several months to get a full master plan in place. If you’re looking to create a master plan for a full port, it could take a year.
Involving appropriate stakeholders, obtaining planning and environmental permits, and engaging with developers will also add more time to this process.
Transforming your port into a wind port
We held a webinar discussing trends in the offshore wind market in the APAC region, what ports can do to meet demand and capitalise on the opportunity, and how to build a robust business case for offshore wind developments.
Watch our on-demand Offshore Wind Ports webinar to hear expert discussion of all of these topics.
Want to learn more about our approach to offshore wind port development?
Download our brochure for a closer look at our consultancy services.
Wind port consultancy services brochure
Related content
AustraliaAustralia’s offshore wind potential: A path to a sustainable future
Maritime
