Nov 14, 2025
Brest–Shannon Foynes Alliance: What It Means for Floating Wind Vessels
Brest–Shannon Foynes Alliance: What It Means for Floating Wind Vessels
An expanded Brest–Shannon Foynes alliance signals near‑term floating wind campaigns. Expect a lift in demand for DP2 AHTS, towage, and support tonnage across France and Ireland—owners who pre‑position and publish specs will win.
An expanded Brest–Shannon Foynes alliance signals near‑term floating wind campaigns. Expect a lift in demand for DP2 AHTS, towage, and support tonnage across France and Ireland—owners who pre‑position and publish specs will win.
Brest and Shannon Foynes are quietly laying the backbone for floating wind in Brittany and the Celtic Sea—and the vessel market just got the signal.
By widening their MoU to more partners, the ports are stitching together fabrication, marshalling, and wet-storage capacity across two coasts. That unlocks serialized tow-outs instead of one-off heroics. Practically: more call-offs for high-bollard-pull AHTS/escort tugs (DP2 preferred), heavy-lift/transport barges for substructures, multicats for mooring and site prep, and a steady drumbeat of SOV/CTV cycles for commissioning and early O&M. Cross-port logistics also mean split-scope campaigns—fabricate in one port, stage or wet-store in the other—so short, repeated tows become the norm.
One concrete trend: DP2 is becoming the baseline for floating-wind tow control and station-keeping in exposed waters. Units with proven towing winches, deck layouts ready for chain handling, and WROV support capability are being shortlisted earlier. On the crew side, CTV scheduling is shifting to hybrid roles (crew change + spares feeder) around tight weather windows; operators offering transparent fuel curves and HVO/battery-hybrid options are gaining an ESG edge in port-controlled corridors.
For chartering, EPCI players typically secure critical tonnage 9–18 months before tow-out. With a cross-port alliance, multi-season campaigns are likelier, favoring owners who pre-position in Western France/West Ireland and publish complete data—DP class, bollard pull, deck equipment, towing gear certificates, fuel options. Expect firmer utilization (and potentially firmer rates) for capable DP2 AHTS and well-equipped tugs, while localized staging can trim mobilization distance and CO₂ per tow.
Takeaway: floating wind is shifting from project to corridor—ports are aligning, and the smart tonnage will follow.
If you’d like to discuss your offshore projects, reach us anytime at sales@seavium.com.
Brest and Shannon Foynes are quietly laying the backbone for floating wind in Brittany and the Celtic Sea—and the vessel market just got the signal.
By widening their MoU to more partners, the ports are stitching together fabrication, marshalling, and wet-storage capacity across two coasts. That unlocks serialized tow-outs instead of one-off heroics. Practically: more call-offs for high-bollard-pull AHTS/escort tugs (DP2 preferred), heavy-lift/transport barges for substructures, multicats for mooring and site prep, and a steady drumbeat of SOV/CTV cycles for commissioning and early O&M. Cross-port logistics also mean split-scope campaigns—fabricate in one port, stage or wet-store in the other—so short, repeated tows become the norm.
One concrete trend: DP2 is becoming the baseline for floating-wind tow control and station-keeping in exposed waters. Units with proven towing winches, deck layouts ready for chain handling, and WROV support capability are being shortlisted earlier. On the crew side, CTV scheduling is shifting to hybrid roles (crew change + spares feeder) around tight weather windows; operators offering transparent fuel curves and HVO/battery-hybrid options are gaining an ESG edge in port-controlled corridors.
For chartering, EPCI players typically secure critical tonnage 9–18 months before tow-out. With a cross-port alliance, multi-season campaigns are likelier, favoring owners who pre-position in Western France/West Ireland and publish complete data—DP class, bollard pull, deck equipment, towing gear certificates, fuel options. Expect firmer utilization (and potentially firmer rates) for capable DP2 AHTS and well-equipped tugs, while localized staging can trim mobilization distance and CO₂ per tow.
Takeaway: floating wind is shifting from project to corridor—ports are aligning, and the smart tonnage will follow.
If you’d like to discuss your offshore projects, reach us anytime at sales@seavium.com.