German shipping manager Bernhard Schulte Offshore and US shipbuilder MidOcean Wind have established a joint venture to build and operate support vessels for the US offshore wind industry.
The Connecticut-based venture expands on a co-operation agreed last year to provide a single point of contact for offshore wind customers in the US.
MidOcean Wind said the venture will ensure its vessels will be Jones Act compliant and “delivered as agreed”.
Bernhard Schulte Offshore will bring the learnings of the European wind farm projects into the US market, it added.
“We have been following the successes of the Schulte Group for some time now and recognise they share the same business values and focus on long-term partnerships,” added MidOcean Wind co-founder and principal Volckert van Reesema (pictured, centre-left).
“Their experience in the operation of offshore wind vessels is needed to support this upcoming new industry in the US”.
Bernhard Schulte Offshore managing director Matthias Müller (pictured, centre-right) said: “MidOcean is a specialist at building vessels of various types under the local regulations in several US shipyards.
“Since the on-time delivery of a vessel to our charterers is critical, we are the ideal partners to support the US offshore wind industry with specialised units.”