German shipbuilding company Neptun Werft, a division of the Meyer Group, is set to collaborate with Belgian steel construction firm Smulders to manufacture offshore converter platforms at Neptun Werft's Warnemuende facility.
The partnership aims to establish two entities, Neptun Smulders Offshore Renewables and Neptun Smulders Engineering, dedicated to the design and production of these critical components for the offshore energy sector. Pending regulatory approval, the joint venture is anticipated to commence operations in the first quarter of 2024, with an initial plan to generate up to 100 jobs in Warnemuende.
The strategic move by Neptun Werft and Smulders responds to the growing demand for converter platforms integral to Germany's energy transition. The collaboration leverages the Meyer Group's extensive expertise in large-scale complex shipbuilding and combines it with Smulders' offshore experience, creating a unique synergy poised to address the requirements of the burgeoning 2 GW offshore converter platform size with high voltage direct current (HVDC) technology.
Jan Meyer, expressing the collaborative vision, stated, “We are combining the MEYER Group's expertise in large scale complex shipbuilding with Smulders' offshore experience in a unique way to enable the jump to the new 2 GW offshore converter platform size with high voltage direct current (HVDC) technology.” The joint venture not only signifies a significant step forward in technological capabilities but also positions the new company as a key player in supporting Germany's ambitious energy transition goals.
