Belgian Energy Island in North Sea Starts Taking Shape (Video)
island.Caissons are concrete building blocks that form the outline of the future island. In a later phase, the interior will be filled with sand to build high-voltage infrastructure that will connect new offshore wind farms.TM Edison is carrying out the work on behalf of grid operator Elia Transmission Belgium (Elia). In the coming decades, the energy island will become an essential part of Belgium’s electricity supply.The transport and installation of the caissons at sea is a technically complex operation that began on April 21, 2025. Each caisson weighs approximately 22,000 tons and measures 58
Fleet Cleaner Rebrands as Fleet Robotics
Fleet Cleaner has changed its name to Fleet Robotics to reflect its evolution into a global 24/7 one-stop-shop for high quality underwater maintenance and performance optimization.In 2017 Fleet Cleaner became the first company to offer its robotic underwater hull cleaning in Dutch ports, expanding to Belgium shortly after. Since then, Fleet Cleaner has grown into a trusted provider of safe, efficient, and certified underwater cleaning operations, including the world’s only ATEX-certified solution for tanker cleaning during cargo operations. This enables cleaning without downtime while maximizing
First Dutch Navy Mine Countermeasure Vessel Starts Sea Trials
system enables safe and rapid clearance of mined areas—up to 10 times faster than traditional methods.The MCM vessels can withstand underwater explosions and have very low acoustic, electrical and magnetic signatures, in line with the missions to be carried out.The rMCM program is being led by Belgium Naval & Robotics, a consortium formed by Naval Group and Exail, involving Kership (a joint venture between Piriou and Naval Group) as industrial prime contractor.Several sea trials campaigns will follow before delivery at the end of 2025.The first vessel, Oostende, intended for the Belgian Navy
EU-Backed Project to Unlock Tidal and River Energy Potential
14 partners across Europe to unlock the potential of harnessing tidal and river energy in the North-West Europe.The SHINES project, short fo Showcasing Hydrokinetic energy Innovations for Northwest European Energy Sovereignty, is ready for launch, bringing together 14 partners from France, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Germany.Co-financed by Interreg North-West Europe under the fourth call for projects, SHINES is set to unlock the potential of tidal and river energy systems, an opportunity still largely untapped in the region.With a total budget of $10.9 million, including 60%
Carbon Dumping
, Norway awarded two CO2 storage permits in the North Sea, and early this year, the Danish Energy Agency launched its fourth licensing round for exploration and CO2 storage in three areas near the Danish coast. Among other projects globally, a 1,000km CO2 pipeline is planned to take landside CO2 from Belgium and France to storage wells in the Norwegian continental shelf.Projects are also expected in the US. Writing in the Nov/Dec issue of Offshore Engineer, Ruaraidh Montgomery, Global Head of Research at Welligence Energy Analytics, said: “Under the second President Trump term, the United States
Jan De Nul Nets Export Cables Installation Job for French Floating Wind Farms
Belgium-based offshore installation contractor Jan De Nul, in partnership with Greek cable maker Hellenic Cables, has entered into a framework agreement to supply and install export cables for two 750 MW floating wind farms off the coast of Southern Brittany in France.The agreement was signed with France's transmission system operator RTE, which is developing an offshore power grid to connect future wind farms.Jan De Nul will install the cables that transport the renewable energy of France’s first commercial-scale floating wind farms from the offshore substation to shore.Together with
Fugro Gets Busy at Equinor’s Offshore CO2 Highway
Fugro has started conducting comprehensive ground investigation for a CO2 highway, off the coast of Belgium, part of a 1,000-kilometer-long planned pipeline by Equinor to transport CO2 between mainland Europe and Norway.Under the contract, Fugro has been chosen to acquire high quality data that will allow Equinor to quickly calculate ground risk and reduce uncertainty.The 1000 km long CO₂ pipeline is planned to start from CO₂ hubs in Zeebrugge, Belgium and Dunkirk, France, connected to storage wells at the Norwegian continental shelf. Fugro’s geotechnical work is part of the maturation of the
Nexans to Link East Anglia TWO Offshore Wind Farm to UK's Power Grid
, Nexans will supply and install approximately 100 kilometers of 275 kV high voltage subsea export cables and 55 kilometers of onshore cables, connecting the wind farm to the UK electricity grid.These cables will be manufactured at Nexans' production facilities in Halden, Norway, and Charleroi, Belgium.The cable installation is scheduled to take place in 2027 and 2028, with the project set for completion by the end of 2028.The East Anglia TWO offshore wind farm, located approximately 33 kilometers from the Suffolk coast in the southern North Sea, will have an installed capacity of up to 960 MW
Norway's Government Taking Control of Gas Pipeline Network
expire in 2028, and had invited current owners to negotiate a transition.The government agreed to pay the seven owners 18.1 billion crowns ($1.64 billion) for their assets, including stakes in some 9,000 km (5,600 miles) of pipelines, comprising major subsea supply routes to Germany, Britain, France and Belgium.The transaction supports the government's aim of keeping pipeline tariffs low for gas exporting companies, and thus facilitating profitable long-term production, the ministry said.Norway is Europe's largest gas supplier following a sharp fall in Russian deliveries triggered by Moscow'
February 2025
