COLI, GRS Form Japanese Offshore Team

Germany's offshore broker Global Renewables Shipbrokers (GRS) has formed a strategic partnership with break bulk and project cargo consultancy COLI Schiffahrt & Transport to target the offshore renewables market in Japan.

The aim of the cooperation is to provide fast and first-class project development of offshore wind farm projects in Japan.

“With COLI a competent and experienced partner in the field of break bulk and project cargo – especially between Europe and Far East – is by our side,” explains Matthias Mroß, GRS Managing Partner. “With CPC Consolidated Pool Carriers (Asia) Co. Ltd. the COLI Group has already been successfully established in Japan since 1997.”

 GRS is one of the worldwide leading consultancy and shipbroking businesses in offshore wind, wave and tidal energy. As an independent advisor, GRS supports the negotiation of all contracts across all value creation stages of the entire project development.

At the subsequent installation and operation stage, GRS, as an internationally operating and independent specialist shipbroker, takes on the chartering of all vessels and crews required as well as the contracting of all further offshore service providers.

 “The market entry to Japan is ideal at this point in time,” says Mroß. “Currently all levers are set in motion to achieve the ambitious plans for the expansion of offshore wind energy in Japan. We have monitored the offshore renewables market in Japan for a long time. Now we take the opportunity to enter this market. Building on our experience and expertise, we can ensure that mistakes will be avoided and expansion targets achieved.”

  “We look forward to a successful collaboration with GRS. Together, we are able to guarantee the market a broad service portfolio as well as a reliable and swift implementation. All parties will benefit from the synergies created,” Herbert Lösing, managing director at COLI Schiffahrt & Transport GmbH & Co. KG points out.

 The expansion of offshore wind energy in Japan in progressing in a dynamic way. The legislative adaption at the end of 2018 paved the way for all future developments of “far offshore” projects in Japan.

After a few offshore wind test projects, the next larger commercial scale projects will be installed within the next two years. This is followed by already successfully tendered windparks with the imminent project contracting. With its long coastline and high wind speeds Japan is in a very good position for establishing offshore wind projects in a large scale.