The Dutch Minister of Economics Henk Kamp visited Heerema Fabrication Group’s fabrication location in Zwijndrecht on 4 March. HFG showed the Minister 2 offshore wind platforms under construction. Grid operator TenneT will connect these so called ‘power sockets at sea’ windfarms in the German part of the North Sea to the high voltage grid onshore.

The visit of Minister Kamp to HFG was part of a tour to the Rotterdam harbour area. The Minister started his visit with a boat trip along the new Maasvlakte area. The biggest hydraulic engineering project which will create 2,000 hectare new harbour area to be delivered in 2014. Subsequently Minister Kamp paid a visit to the chemical company Huntsman and finally visited HFG’s fabrication yard in Zwijndrecht.

According to Tino Vinkesteijn, Chief Commercial Officer of HFG: “It is important that we are able to show the Dutch government that Holland as a ‘knowledge and innovation’ country is inextricably linked to the manufacturing industry. The conservation of the manufacturing industry is therefore not only important for the Dutch economy and employment, but also supports the knowledge industry of Holland (Nederland Kennisland). Clients like TenneT, who award the Dutch industry with engineering and fabrication projects for renewable energy in the offshore wind, help to prevent our manufacturing industry to disappear to low-wage countries and contribute to develop our specific offshore knowledge and expertise.”

Offshore sector

Offshore is a very important export product for the Netherlands. The Dutch oil & gas industry ranks in the top 5 of the world. Holland currently holds a quarter of the total market share of the offshore wind industry. The construction of these ‘power sockets at sea’ ensure that the specific knowledge and expertise will be further developed in the Netherlands. (source Economic Affairs Department the Netherlands)

Renewable energy

Offshore wind is a very expensive way of producing energy. In order to meet the 16% renewable energy target in 2020, we also need the energy of the wind on sea in Holland. At this moment we have 228 megawatt of offshore wind energy in the Netherlands. This is supplying 255.000 homes with energy. In 2010 there is for 4.5 billion euro funding available. The power of the three future parks will be 730 megawatts enabling to supply around 800,000 households with electricity. (source Economic Affairs Department the Netherlands)

Press Release, March 07 , 2013