A Cornish company developing floating platforms for offshore wind turbines has landed an investment which will see its technology brought to the US market.
Tugdock has said it has designed the “world’s first” road transportable floating dry dock, which enables offshore renewable energy assets to be launched and assembled at ports which lack sufficient water depth and assembly space.
The Falmouth-based company has reached an agreement with US supply chain solutions firm Crowley, which will explore potential use of the platforms in locations such as the American West Coast.
Read more: Oil exploration firm Rockhopper reports return to profit
Crowley said it was currently developing and planning for wind terminals in California, Louisiana and Massachusetts, and was looking to build and operate a terminal for offshore wind floating platforms, at the California Port of Humboldt Bay.
It comes as the US government targets an increase in offshore wind capacity to provide enough clean energy to power five million homes by 2035.
Tugdock chief executive Shane Carr said: “We are delighted to form a new partnership with Crowley, a visionary company at the forefront of marine innovation.
“Their strategic investment will enable us to take our unique technology to the U.S. floating offshore wind market for the first time. We believe that our new partnership will help accelerate the growth of floating offshore wind in the U.S.”
Bob Karl, senior vice president and general manager at Crowley Wind Services, added: “This important investment and collaboration with Tugdock strategically complement our vision and market-leading logistics capabilities to support wind energy development from beginning to end,”
“Not only will we help installation developers solve logistics challenges, as a leader in sustainable and innovative maritime logistics Crowley will further the use of offshore wind as a leading alternative energy source by working together with our customers, suppliers, policymakers and others across our value chain for innovations like the Tugdock Submersible Platform.”
Earlier this year Tugdock secured funding from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Investment Fund, and global crane rental services firm Sarens, to help establish a new manufacturing facility in Cornwall and create jobs.
Read next:
- Good Energy launches 'Power Partners' featuring Bristol's The Wave
- Cero Generation and Enso Energy achieve financial close on battery energy storage system
- Devon data firm Klarian secures major UK pipeline project
- Bristol-based offshore engineers Blackfish opens Scottish arm
Like this story? Why not sign up to get the latest South West business news straight to your inbox.
