22 Oct Exclusive Offshore Wind Industry Event hosted by Euroports in Port-La Nouvelle, France

Last week, Euroports hosted an exclusive event for key stakeholders in the offshore wind industry in Port-La Nouvelle, France. We welcomed 90 executives from around the world, representing port authorities, offshore wind developers, manufacturers, and engineering companies – all playing a crucial role in the present and future development of offshore wind farms.

Marie Tchakerian, Directrice de la Mer, Région Occitanie/Pyrénées-Méditerranée, welcomed the guests to the event, highlighting the critical role the Région has played in advancing the floating wind terminal project at Port-La Nouvelle. The Région Occitanie has been a driving force behind the terminal’s development, providing strategic and financial support to create infrastructure tailored for floating wind energy, ensuring the region remains at the forefront of the renewable energy transition.

Frédéric Platini, CEO of Euroports, presented the ambition and strategy of Euroports in the offshore wind industry. Euroports is one of the major port infrastructure companies in Europe, with the majority of its terminals located in European countries such as Belgium, Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Finland, and Greece. The morning session featured presentations on financing and structuring ports and infrastructure required for offshore wind development, as well as the importance of safety in port operations. This was followed by a panel discussion with representatives from leading industry players, including BlueFloat Energy, Copenhagen Offshore Partners, the port authorities of Port-La Nouvelle (SEMOP), Siemens Gamesa, Vestas, and Euroports.

With more than 20 years of experience in port services related to onshore wind in Germany and Finland, and leading the Mediterranean basin with the unique expertise of our team in Port-La Nouvelle, Euroports’ extensive experience was crucial in driving the day’s discussions.

The unique model of the Port of Port-La Nouvelle, established through its Public-Private Partnership, demonstrates how vital such collaborations are in bringing a project to life. The close collaboration with SEMOP and CEO Hans Kersten was instrumental in demonstrating how working closely with port authorities is essential throughout the port’s design, development, and daily operations. 

Discussions focused on the next steps required to advance the offshore wind industry and how to mitigate risks whilst ensuring financial guarantees in the development of projects.

A key highlight of the event was a visit to the floating wind terminal at the port of Port-La Nouvelle, organised by the Euroports local team, led by Managing Director Olivier Ruth. This visit provided attendees with a firsthand look at the terminal’s operations and infrastructure, further cementing Port-La Nouvelle’s position as the leader in floating offshore wind port operations in the Mediterranean area.

The Port-La Nouvelle terminal is home to groundbreaking projects such as EFGL (Eoliennes Flottantes du Golfe du Lion) and Eolmed, both key offshore floating wind initiatives fully supported by Euroports.

Throughout the day, participants were eager to share their views, insights, and the challenges they face. The exclusive nature of the event fostered a highly collaborative atmosphere, which Euroports sought to create, and we are confident that the connections made will lead to future collaborations.