Cross-industry coalition aims to remove the final barriers to electrifying SOVs and CTVs in the UK
The Offshore Charging Working Group, a cross-sector coalition spanning the offshore wind and maritime industries, is tackling the remaining hurdles to decarbonising offshore service operations. Its focus: accelerating the electrification of service operation vessels (SOVs) and crew transfer vessels (CTVs).
The group has concluded that early design consideration and commercial clarity on access to offshore power for charging are the key outstanding challenges.
The Offshore Charging Working Group brings together vessel owners, technology providers, industry organisations and is supported by tier 1 wind farm developers, reflecting a shared ambition to enable electric CTV and SOV operations within offshore wind farms. Industry readiness to deploy zero-emission vessels is growing, provided a clear and workable policy framework is in place.
The group has engaged with The Crown Estate, the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), and Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC), highlighting the need for design allowance during early FEED phases, clarity on offshore power access, pricing treatment under the Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme, and physical access to offshore charging infrastructure.
“Technology is no longer the limiting factor. What industry needs now is clear, practical guidance from authorities to enable offshore charging to move from concept to delivery,” says Øystein Huglen, representing Maritime CleanTech in the working group.
A detailed proposition paper outlining practical policy enablers for offshore charging will be published shortly.
Members of the Offshore Charging Working Group, include ORE Catapult, NOF, Norwegian Offshore Wind, Seaonics, MJR Power & Automation, Stillstrom by Maersk, Maritime Cleantech, Bibby Marine and Tidal Transit.
