- 50Hertz contract strengthens NSORe as a European provider of offshore HVDC platforms
- Plans to create up more than 500 new jobs in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
- Negotiations regarding a second platform are ongoing
NEPTUN SMULDERS Offshore Renewables GmbH (NSORe), based in Rostock, has been awarded the contract to build a 2-gigawatt offshore wind converter platform for the North Sea Connector 2 project. NSORe will deliver the project as part of a consortium with Siemens Energy, with 50Hertz Transmission GmbH as the client. Negotiations have also started for another project of the same scale. For this second project, key components are also expected to be manufactured within NSORe’s production set-up, including Rostock-Warnemünde and Smulders’ yard in Vlissingen/Netherlands.
If both contracts are awarded, the total value for NSORe would amount to around €2.5 billion, with the majority of this going towards production and services in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Commissioning of the platform, which is to be installed around 200 kilometres west of the island of Sylt, is scheduled for the end of 2034.
NEPTUN SMULDERS Offshore Renewables is a joint venture between NEPTUN WERFT GmbH & Co. KG and the construction company Smulders. As NSORe scales up its activities, and if significant parts of the second platform are also built in Rostock, it is expected that in the long-term more than 500 new jobs will be created in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, at NSOR itself, at the NEPTUN shipyard and at suppliers in the region.
Within NSORe, NEPTUN WERFT will manufacture the topside in Rostock-Warnemünde, while Smulders will build the jacket foundation at its yard in Vlissingen. Together, these two major components form the backbone of the offshore converter platform. They will make a significant contribution to integrating renewable energy into the European electricity grid by converting wind power generated in the North Sea for transmission to shore. Siemens Energy is responsible for the high-tech components, including transformers, switchgear and converters for converting alternating current to direct current.
“This is a good day for Rostock and the region. With this contract, NEPTUN SMULDERS Offshore Renewables is taking an important next step in building a strong European provider of converter platforms. Together, we combine our expertise across the entire value chain and contribute actively to the implementation of the energy transition,” says Malte Poelmann, Managing Director of NSORe.
“This project shows exactly why NSORe was created: to combine complementary strengths and deliver complex offshore converter platforms at European scale. Smulders’ experience in offshore wind and NEPTUN WERFT’s production capabilities are both essential to making that possible”, adds Dieter Weyns, Managing Director of NSORe.
Stefan Kapferer, CEO of 50Hertz: “As the transmission system operator for eastern Germany, Berlin and Hamburg, we are pleased that, in a transparent and open tendering process, a consortium was able to prevail both in terms of price and technology, and will manufacture key components at a shipyard within our grid area. This demonstrates that domestic shipyards are now capable of offering competitive bids for the construction of offshore platforms. We are also confident that we will soon conclude the negotiations for the second converter project, thereby providing Rostock and the NEPTUN WERFT with a further positive outlook.”
About NEPTUN SMULDERS Offshore Renewables (NSORe)
NSORe combines the strengths of NEPTUN WERFT and Smulders, backed by the industrial heritage and capabilities of the MEYER WERFT and Eiffage, the parent companies behind both partners. As a joint venture, NSORe focuses on the offshore wind markets in Europe and the United States, positioning itself for the rapid expansion of next-generation HVDC (High Voltage Direct Current) projects. The partnership offers fully integrated, turnkey solutions from design through to delivery, supported by state-of-the-art construction capacity for complex offshore structures.
About NEPTUN WERFT
NEPTUN WERFT, based in Rostock-Warnemünde and a subsidiary of MEYER WERFT GmbH in Papenburg, has extensive experience in the construction of complex large-scale maritime projects, with particular expertise in the construction of river cruise ships. Over the past 20 years, NEPTUN WERFT has built more than 80 river cruise ships for national and international customers and is the market leader in this sector. With the expansion of its offshore business, the company is broadening its portfolio to include a forward-looking segment of the energy infrastructure.
About Smulders
Smulders, headquartered in Belgium and a subsidiary of Eiffage, is an international construction company with extensive experience in the engineering, fabrication, assembly and integration of complex structures and systems for the offshore wind, civil and industrial markets. The company has built a strong track record in offshore wind, including substations, foundations and transition pieces, and operates several production facilities in Europe. Within NSORe, Smulders contributes its expertise in offshore steel structures and large-scale fabrication.
