Wärtsilä and EnCap Join Binary Marine Installation Solution Project

Vessels

December 2, 2022, by Adnan Durakovic

The Finnish technology group Wärtsilä and the US equity capital provider, EnCap Investments, will assist the Texas-based Bleutec Industries on the project to develop a new method of installing offshore wind turbines, the Binary Marine Installation Solution (BMIS).

The BMIS will be built around a Piling Installation Vessel (PIV), a Wind Turbine Installation Vessel Light (WTIVL), and Service Operation Vessels (SOVs). The concept is described as ”…a cost-effective, Jones Act compliant alternative to the more expensive heavy-lift jack-up Wind Turbine Installation Vessels…”

The PIV will feature a gantry crane, capable of lifting up to 4,500 metric tons, a hydraulic hammer, and deck space for the piles.

The WTIVL will install wind turbines of up to 22 MW on the foundations and the SOVs will provide the necessary accommodation and crew support services, Bleutec Industries said.

Wärtsilä has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Bleutec Industries covering Wärtsilä’s role as the system integrator for BMIS.

All vessels are designed to be powered by Wärtsilä dual-fuel engines paired with Wärtsilä’s hybrid Battery Energy Storage Systems and will incorporate the latest advances in Dynamic Positioning, the company said.

”Wärtsilä has taken an active role in this project, and their technical expertise and broad experience are very important to the success of the concept. In particular, we appreciate their industry-leading efforts in developing sustainable technologies that will largely define the industry’s future,” said Robin Bodtmann, CEO of Bleutec.

The vessels will comply with the Jones Act, the law regulating maritime commerce in US waters and between US ports, and will be constructed and flagged in the USA. They will employ US mariners and crews supporting the US offshore wind industry.

Deployment is expected to take place during the early part of 2026.

”We see the Bleutec BMIS as being a game-changer for the offshore wind industry, and we are excited to have been involved from its early stages. As the system integrator, we will continue to work closely with all the parties to bring the project to a successful conclusion,” said George Franssen, Account Manager New Builds Americas, Wärtsilä.

Bleutec Industries also said that the company secured ”a significant capital commitment” from EnCap Investments, a provider of equity capital to the independent sector of the US energy industry. Bleutec management will invest alongside EnCap in the company.

”We’re excited to partner with Bleutec and help accelerate the management team’s vision to innovate in the deployment of renewables to the U.S. offshore wind sector,” said EnCap Energy Transition Managing Partner Tim Rebhorn.

”The Bleutec team is a natural fit with the EnCap Energy Transition portfolio and we look forward to their continued growth and success.”

The Bleutec team is led by Robin Bodtmann and Bo Jardine. Bodtmann founded Bleutec in 2019 and serves as the Chief Executive Officer and President. Prior to Bleutec, Bodtmann was the Vice President of Strategy and Development at Wood Group where she oversaw engineering, procurement, and construction, and operations and maintenance for the Americas.

Jardine serves as the Chief Innovation Officer and has 20 years of experience in various offshore marine applications, most recently serving as a Supply Chain Manager at Shell where he led the global commercial strategy for offshore marine logistics. In that role, he oversaw offshore vessel design and construction, logistics activities, port facility development, and marine technologies.