Marseille, France – April 29, 2024 – BlueFloat Energy, a leading offshore wind developer, announces the opening of its office in Marseille, France, timed with the Floating Offshore Wind Turbines (FOWT) conference. At the heart of the Mediterranean basin, Marseille serves as the perfect location to spearhead the advancement of floating offshore wind technology in the region and beyond. The city is commonly regarded as the cradle of floating wind technology, partly because of the history of staging the early editions of FOWT conferences but also because of the concentration of floating offshore wind professionals working around this city.
The new office will serve as a strategic hub for BlueFloat Energy’s operations across the Mediterranean region and elsewhere in France. This strategic location allows BlueFloat Energy to attract top talent in floating offshore wind, tapping into the specialized expertise concentrated in this region.
Clément Mochet, Country Manager of BlueFloat Energy France stressed the importance of the choice of Marseille as a springboard for BlueFloat Energy operations in France: “the inauguration of our office in Marseille is testament to BlueFloat Energy´s commitment to driving innovation and creating local value in the areas where it operates. We firmly believe in the synergies and complementarities of a pan-Mediterranean floating wind industry and Marseille, with its rich maritime and industrial heritage and strategic position, is well-positioned to play a leading role in France’s energy transition through a thriving offshore floating wind industry.”
As Christophe Madrolle, Conseiller Régional, Président de la Commission Biodiversité, Mer et Littoral, Parcs Naturels Régionaux, Risques – Préparation du Congrès mondial de la nature, said: “The Region supports the installation of floating offshore wind turbines off the coast of Fos because it is the most promising source of carbon-free energy in the Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur region. The development of floating wind projects off the coast of Fos is a fantastic opportunity to reconcile the energy challenges of the region with the government’s commitments outlined in the Climate Plan Une COP d’Avance – most notably achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and ensuring economic development and job creation in the region. We are aware of the difficulties involved in reconciling the necessary energy transition with the preservation of biodiversity, but the Region is committed to doing so.”
BlueFloat Energy’s Marseille office will focus on developing cutting-edge floating offshore wind projects, leveraging the region’s abundant wind resources and BlueFloat Energy’s expertise in floating wind technology. The company aims to contribute to France’s ambitious decarbonization targets while creating economic opportunities, generating employment and nurturing local talent.
As Christophe Castaner, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Grand Port Maritime de Marseille (GPPM), pointed out: “The landing in Marseille of a company dedicated to the development of floating offshore wind projects proves that the strategy of the Port of Marseille Fos to create an 80-hectare assembly hub in the Fos industrial port zone is based on a market that promises to be dynamic.”
The immediate priority for the team is to submit a successful bid in the upcoming AO6 tender to build two offshore wind farms off the Mediterranean coast in partnership with Sumitomo and Akuo as part of their pioneering EOLYMAR consortium -a significant milestone for the floating wind community in France. BlueFloat Energy is also gearing up to participate in the planned AO9 tender, poised to unlock opportunities for larger scale floating offshore wind development across the French territory.
Carlos Martin, the CEO of BlueFloat Energy, said: “The opening of the Marseille office marks a major milestone for our activities in France and in the Mediterranean. More than just a milestone, it symbolizes our unwavering commitment to a market that has been fundamental to BlueFloat Energy since our inception. For nearly four years, we have been at the forefront of developing a floating wind industry in France, and today we proudly stand as one of the leaders in floating offshore wind within this key market. As part of our eight offices established across various European and APAC countries, the Marseille office’s team of 10 specialists has been contributing to BlueFloat Energy’s world-class expertise in floating wind. Personally, this moment holds special significance, and I am very proud of our achievements in France to date.”
For more information about BlueFloat Energy and its offshore wind developments worldwide visit www.bluefloat.com
Press Contact:
Isabel Rodrigo
Senior Manager Communications & Marketing at BlueFloat Energy
irodrigo@bluefloat.com
+34 667926222
About BlueFloat Energy:
BlueFloat Energy is developing offshore wind projects in various regions of the world, where it can implement its vision: to accelerate global deployment of offshore wind as a key enabler for the energy transition and economic growth. BlueFloat Energy brings together a global and multi-disciplinary team with remarkable expertise in the design, development, financing, procurement, and execution of offshore wind projects. BlueFloat Energy is a market leader in offshore wind development and currently has over 34 GW of planned fixed-bottom and floating offshore capacity globally.
BlueFloat Energy is a portfolio company of 547 Energy, which invests in renewable power and grid resiliency companies, with the backing of Quantum Capital Group, a leading provider of private equity, credit, and venture capital to the global energy and energy transition industry.
