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20 May 2019
As offshore marine services provider PACC Offshore Services Holdings Ltd. (POSH) takes a major step into the renewables market by launching a joint venture with Taiwan-based logistics firm Kerry TJ Logistics, we catch up with Marketing Manager Andy Duncan on the latest developments in the Asian renewables sector.
The new joint venture company POSH Kerry Renewables aims to provide an integrated solutions platform for offshore wind farm developers, EPCI contractors and wind turbine manufacturers. Headquartered in Singapore, POSH has a fleet of more than 100 vessels and 60 years of experience in offshore and marine oilfield services, but this is its first move into the growing Asian renewables market. POSH has a diverse fleet of vessels including 13 accommodation vessels, air dive and support vessels, walk-to-work and light construction vessels, as well as topside maintenance, 8-point moored barges.
POSH Kerry supports the entire offshore renewables project lifecycle and has a comprehensive portfolio, including the end-to-end transportation of wind turbines and components, as well as diversified marine solutions during the installation, operations and maintenance of offshore wind farms in Taiwan.
In addition to the marine support for the construction, production and maintenance phases of offshore wind projects, the new JV provides more than 70 years in offshore engineering and fabrication experience and the company has more than 6 million ft2 of logistics facilities in Taiwan and 25 million ft2 of yard space available for design and fabrication.
Atlas Professionals and POSH have worked with each other for a number of years and more recently Atlas is providing crewing and catering services for one of POSH’s giant ‘flotels’, the POSH Arcadia, one of the company’s two 750-pax semi-submersible vessels. POSH Arcadia is supporting the Shell Prelude FLNG project in Western Australia.
One-stop-shop for wind developers
Andy outlines the recent renewables venture. “Ultimately we are aiming to be a one-stop-shop for wind farm developers. POSH can provide vessels including Service Operations Vessels (SOV), survey vessels, tugs and barges, while Kerry TJ Logistics carries out the onshore logistics. Coupled with that, we are also working with two other sister companies PaxOcean shipyard in Singapore, which is looking into the potential of building jackets for turbines, and PACC Line, which operates a fleet of purpose-built vessels which can transport the turbines, blades and monopiles. We are confident that our consortium is able to provide a plug & play solution for our clients.”
POSH Kerry will also be joined by other strategic partners. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed with Rolls-Royce to explore suitable designs for walk-to-work and SOVs specific to offshore wind operations. Additionally, a MOU has also been signed with Macquarie Capital and Swancor to jointly explore collaboration opportunities in the Taiwan offshore wind market.
POSH Kerry will also provide anchor handling, supply and standby support to an international geotechnical services operator during the site survey, installation and construction of an offshore wind farm. The scope of work will begin off the coast of Guanyin and potentially include other sites in Yunlin and Taoyuan-HsinChu. Work is scheduled to commence in Q3 2018.
Andy comments: “The renewables market in Taiwan is taking off, Formosa I is expected to start in May 2019 and there should be a number of wind farm projects coming along to support this requirement.”
After establishing a firm foundation in the Taiwanese renewables market, he stresses, POSH plans to expand into developing renewables markets elsewhere in Asia including Japan, Korea and India.
Meanwhile, he adds, that there has been very strong demand for the POSH accommodation vessels in recent months. “These are largely supporting extensive maintenance programmes. Oil companies have cut back on maintenance over the last few years given the low oil prices but now this has risen again as they want to keep these assets producing as much as possible.”
Emphasis on welfare
While POSH has always maintained a high operating standard, partly through close coordination with partners like Atlas, Andy says there is a distinctive difference about expectations in the renewables sector. “The welfare requirements for the crew and passengers on board is very high, there is a big emphasis on wellbeing – almost the same as a hotel. For instance, requesting televisions, video on demand, X-box, good quality food is a norm and usually there will be one to a cabin when it comes to Operations & Maintenance work. Most of the time the technicians have not spent considerable time at sea unlike the seafarers, so wind farm developers want to provide similar standards to what they would have at home. We do our best to realise these standards and exceed them.”
Andy believes there are exciting times ahead in renewables as the concessions start to get awarded. “POSH has a strong track record in accommodation and walk-to-work solutions and this operating expertise is highly transferable to the offshore wind sector. We are looking forward to the opportunities this brings.”
