The agreement, coinciding with the visit of HRH Princess Astrid of Belgium to the Belgian economic mission in Brazil, is the first one signed by Sarens for the development of offshore wind projects in the country, although it has been working in other industrial sectors since 2008 It will assess which logistics solutions are best suited for the transfer of turbines, blades and other materials used for the construction of offshore wind farms using special heavy lifting, designed transport and crane operation services.
Currently, Brazil already has an offshore potential of more than 1,200 GW, of which 480 GW is through fixed foundations and 748 GW through floating foundations, according to a study carried out by independent consultancy DNV on behalf of the World Bank Group. This same study cites the abundance of resources and their location close to major demand points as some of the keys to the growth in importance of offshore wind energy, which could lead to a growth of 96 GW of capacity by 2050, representing approximately 20 percent of the entire energy mix.
“We are excited to embark on this new chapter in Brazil's offshore wind industry through our partnership with Prumo Logística and the Port of Açu” said Carl Sarens, Technical Solutions, Projects and Engineering Director. “This agreement represents a significant step toward developing innovative logistics solutions tailored for the offshore wind sector. “Sarens is proud to bring our global expertise in heavy lifting and transportation to support Brazil's renewable energy ambitions and help position the Port of Açu as a hub for the offshore wind value chain.”
Through this agreement, the port of Açu is expected to become a key hub to support the consolidation of the offshore wind industry in Brazil. This port and industrial complex is located near one of the points with the greatest potential for the development of offshore wind projects in the country, is connected to the National Interconnected System (SIN), and can benefit from the synergies already existing with other industries, such as the oil & gas one.
In addition, this port will become a reference in terms of manufacturing and assembly of the elements necessary for the construction of offshore wind farms, thus attracting manufacturers of turbines, blades or cables, among others.
“We want to combine integrated logistics and be an operational and maintenance hub with more competitive costs for the offshore wind industry in Brazil” added Mauro Andrade, Executive Director of Business Development at Prumo.
Sarens has been a proud contributor to Brazil's growth since 2008, with a strong presence in the country's industrial sectors. The company's personnel, equipment, and solutions - such as the 2000 tons capacity Tadano PC9600, which has been stationed at Porto do Açu since 2014 - have supported the development of Brazilian ports and shipyards, helping them play a vital role in both regional and global markets.
Sarens has also worked with Arcelor Mittal on the renovation of its blast furnace in Vitoria, using its Sarens Multi Lifting Tower (SMLT) equipped with strand jacks, or with Eneval in Rio de Janeiro, where it was responsible for the assembly of FPSO modules using lifting gantries, strand jacks and 32 axle lines SPMTs (self-propelled modular transports) among others. More recently, Sarens has collaborated with SBM Offshore in the installation of Floating Production Storage and Offloading Units in Angra dos Reis.
Sarens is aiming to build on these partnerships and continue to play a significant role in Brazil's energy transition - whether in offshore wind or hydrogen initiatives.
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