New floating wind player born as Technip Energies and SBM Offshore cement Ekwil JV
Joint venture will advance key technologies as sector prepares to scale up
Technip Energies and SBM Offshore have finalised the creation of Ekwil, their 50/50 floating wind technology joint venture.
Séverine Baudic formerly managing director of new energies & services at SBM Offshore, is CEO of the new company while Willy Gauttier, previously VP floating offshore wind of Technip Energies, is the chief operating officer.
Based in France, Ekwil will advance the two main technologies the pair have until now pursued separately – Technip Energies’ semi-submersible INO15 and the Float4Wind tension-leg platform (TLP) from SBM Offshore.
The two players said when they announced the JV that the merger of efforts would help address the “challenging economics” of the fledgling sector.
Baudic said: “Today’s launch of Ekwil marks a significant step to power progress in the floating offshore wind market, combining industry-leading expertise and solutions. I am proud to have the trust and commitment of SBM Offshore and Technip Energies and look forward to leading our talented teams towards a greener future for all.”
Oil & gas player SBM Offshore unveiled Float4Wind in 2022 as the second-generation design of its TLP, claiming it had been engineered for manufacturability, with inclined tension legs designed to reduce nacelle motions to boost turbine output from a smaller marine ‘footprint’.