Subsea 7 has entered into an agreement to acquire a majority interest in the equity of Nautilus Floating Solutions, a developer of technology for the floating wind market based in Bilbao, Spain
Subsea 7 said Nautilus has developed what it described as “a promising concept for a floating wind foundation based on a semi-submersible steel structure that supports a centrally placed wind turbine.”
Subsea 7 will provide technical expertise, engineering and project management capabilities to support the advancement of the design. The concept is expected to be included in tenders for demonstrator or pilot projects in 2021 and beyond.
Subsea 7 will acquire a controlling interest of 59.12% in Nautilus and will assume four of the seven positions on Nautilus’ board of directors. Tecnalia, a research and development centre, and Vicinay, a manufacturer and supplier of mooring systems for the oil and gas and floating wind industries, will remain shareholders of Nautilus with equity interests of 29.14% and 11.74%, respectively.
In a statement about the acquisition, Subsea 7 said Nautilus “will remain an autonomous company with strong roots in the Basque country of Spain, teaming with its network of regional, national and international partners” and will benefit from the support of Subsea 7 in various upcoming bids with key clients in the floating wind industry.
While actively engaging in the further development of the Nautilus concept, Subsea 7 will also continue to engage with other technology providers to support client, regional or supply chain needs.
Subsea 7 and Nautilus will collaborate closely with Seaway 7, the recently announced combination of Subsea 7’s fixed wind activities and OHT ASA, to ensure aligned client engagement and that the capabilities within the broader group are fully leveraged.
Subsea 7 chief executive John Evans said, “The agreement with Nautilus represents an exciting opportunity for Subsea 7 to further our involvement in the technology being developed for the floating wind market.
“Involvement at an early stage allows the development of this concept to benefit from our technical know-how, experience in delivering EPCI projects, and to maximise the value creation opportunity for our clients and shareholders.
“Following the agreements with OHT ASA in offshore fixed wind, and with Simply Blue Energy in floating wind, this is another step in the realisation of the group’s strategy to proactively participate in the energy transition.”
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