Offshore wind power generation can be an opportunity for shipyards
The construction projects of offshore wind power plants to generate electricity are seen by the shipbuilding industry as an opportunity for shipyards to diversify their customer portfolio. The theme is one of the highlights of the Rio de Janeiro Shipbuilding Panorama 2022, a document released this week by the Federation of Industries of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Firjan).
The shipyard sector has experienced a recovery considered "timid" since 2019, according to Firjan, with the generation of 6,000 jobs. Although the balance is positive, the current level of jobs still represents only a quarter of what it was in 2014.
In this scenario, the projects with requests for environmental licensing for offshore wind power plants appear on the horizon as a possibility to heat up the sector, which already has experience in offshore projects for the oil and gas industry, one of its main customers.
The document published by Firjan includes an article by the National Union of the Naval and Offshore Construction and Repair Industry (Sinaval), estimating that, in a five-year horizon, wind farms will be a heated sector with demand for shipyards, which could even integrate the structures to what already exists in the ocean for oil exploration.
"Floating platforms from the oil and gas industry can be adapted without major complexities by taking advantage of their structures and attaching them to the seabed, thus achieving optimal stability for the turbine installed on the topside of the platform. In addition, the structures can be assembled on land and then towed offshore, making the operation more efficient and safer," said the shipyard union.
Projects
The Oil, Gas and Naval manager at Firjan, Karine Fragoso, believes that the areas already granted for oil and gas exploration could also host offshore wind power projects. She evaluates that the integration of the two chains can facilitate the viability of the projects.
"These offshore wind projects can bring to the Brazilian shipyards opportunities for construction, whether of parts and pieces, or of a larger structure," she said.
Karine Fragoso explained that the shipbuilding industry in the state of Rio de Janeiro represents almost 50% of the sector in the country. In a scenario of fewer requests for large vessels and structures by the oil and gas industry, many shipyards managed to survive the years of crisis in the country, performing repairs, maintenance, and small constructions.
