Shell’s withdrawal from two ScotWind floating projects is a signal: UK floating wind has moved from sprint to marathon—and vessel demand will reprice accordingly.

Near term, expect softer North Sea utilization across select 2026–2027 windows for assets tied to floating construction: DP2 AHTS used for mooring pre-lay and tow-out, construction/IMR CSVs, and dynamic cable lay. Some of this tonnage will pivot to fixed-bottom work, decommissioning, or O&G IRM, pressuring day rates in shoulder seasons. The more agile owners will redeploy internationally, targeting continental Europe and Asia-Pacific floating pilots where tendering continues. Heavy-lift demand tied to substructure assembly won’t disappear, but campaigns will bunch less in the UK, reducing peak congestion.

Operationally, charterers can use the breathing room to de-risk schedules: pull forward critical-path scopes, shift non-critical work to off-peak months, and secure options rather than extra days. Specs will matter more than ever—true DP2, battery-hybrid retrofits, low-NOx profiles, and shore power readiness are becoming tie-breakers as developers tighten Scope 3 targets. Data transparency on transits and port calls will separate bids; matching vessels closer to site cuts fuel burn and CO₂ while improving POB safety margins.

Trend to watch: walk-to-work CSVs paired with medium-range CTVs for early O&M on floating arrays, trimming accommodation vessel days and smoothing CTV schedules as UK installation peaks ease. With fewer UK installs in the near term, CTV fleets will backfill O&M, survey, and cable repair windows rather than chasing short, volatile construction bursts.

Takeaway: floating wind’s wobble will reshuffle North Sea tonnage—operators who pivot fast and decarbonize their specs will win the next cycle.

If you’d like to discuss your offshore projects, reach us anytime at sales@seavium.com.