Posted on November 19, 2025
It is vital that Europe continues to invest in offshore wind power and its own supply chain. Only then can the offshore wind sector maintain its technological lead, develop scalable innovations and ensure that climate goals are met without adverse effects on marine life. “It is crucial that we maintain the momentum,” says Karen Vennik, Commercial Director Offshore at Van Oord.
In short
- After years of rapid growth, the rollout of offshore wind is slowing due to rising costs, grid congestionand political uncertainty.
- Van Oord is developing new technologieswith research partners – such as Slip Joints, oyster reefs and quieter piling methods – to protect marine life.
- According toKaren Vennik, Europe can only maintain its technological lead by investing in a European supply chain and ensuring strong government direction.
The rate at which new offshore wind farms are being built is slowing. After a period of robust growth, market conditions have become much less favourable. “Due to all kinds of reasons, we notice that a stable roll-out of offshore wind projects is under pressure”, says Vennik. Costs have increased, energy prices are rising and there is declining demand for electrification. “In fact, in certain regions of the world, development has come to a standstill.” In the US, for example, President Trump has completely scrapped planned investments in wind power.
Electrification of industry
At the same time, Vennik also sees a few positive steps. For example, the sector unanimously appealed to the Dutch government to continue building green energy infrastructure in the Netherlands. By encouraging the electrification of industry, households and transport in the Netherlands and simultaneously accelerating the introduction of contracts for difference – through which wind farm developers are compensated in the event of low electricity prices – the development of offshore wind can continue. That’s the idea behind it.
This appeal has been heeded. Vennik now sees broad political support for contracts for difference and the Minister has since committed to their adoption. The same applies to tackling congestion, which acts as a brake on electrification in key sectors. It is essential for offshore wind that the government addresses these problems, she says. “But we are not there yet, this support must be transformed into concrete measures during the next government term.”
Slip Joints
Van Oord is a key player in the construction of offshore wind farms. The renowned marine contractor became active in the offshore wind sector in 2002 and is now one of the leading global players. The company has invested heavily in offshore wind during the past decade and in recent years put into service various installation vessels for laying marine cables, installing foundations and installing wind turbines. In addition, Van Oord has developed numerous innovations to allow the ever-larger wind turbines to be placed further offshore and in deeper waters.
Van Oord’s offshore wind installation vessel Aeolus at work in wind farm Gemini.
One such innovation is known as the Slip Joint, which is used to slide the middle part of a wind turbine – in jargon, the transition piece – over the monopile. As a result, grout or bolts are no longer needed, which saves time and costs during installation and also requires less maintenance. The ingenious innovation was developed by Van Oord together with knowledge partners within the GROW consortium. This is a partnership in which industry and knowledge partners – including TU Delft – work specifically on innovations for offshore wind.
Van Oord is also investing substantially in new applications to protect marine life. The construction of ever larger foundations for ever larger monopiles represents a threat to marine life. For example, the company is working on new pile driving methods to reduce disturbance to marine mammals.
Oyster reefs
Other innovations include tree reefs that create habitats for fish species on the seabed. And oyster reefs, which not only protect the foundations of wind turbines against erosion but also contribute to the restoration of oyster beds.
Oyster tables in wind farm Luchterduinen.
Innovation in these areas is of ‘essential importance’, Vennik says. The North Sea is a heavily used body of water, so we must continue to give close consideration to ‘multi-use’ in the North Sea to keep the energy transition feasible. “This will be crucial for the rollout of wind energy, and designing structures on the seabed holds great potential for underwater marine life.”
In that context, Vennik highlights the value of strategic collaborations with knowledge institutions for developing innovations. The boom period has ensured that the Netherlands – and Europe – currently have a technological lead over China, which is also busily developing its own offshore wind industry.
European leading position
Europe needs to maintain this lead in the coming decades. “If Europe wants to become less dependent on other countries, we need to invest in a European supply chain”, Vennik points out. “The knowledge you have here must be fostered and retained here.”
We still have a lead at the moment, and we should capitalise on that advantage
“We still have a lead at the moment, and we should capitalise on that advantage. By maintaining a well-filled order book in Europe, we can continue to create scalable innovations that lead to cost reductions in the wind energy sector.” Vennik emphasises that a company like Van Oord can only invest in these innovations if it has the certainty that it can apply them in a scalable manner. “This is why a stable and predictable deal flow of projects and tenders is so important for the entire industry.”
For that reason, it is crucial that the government continues to work on electrifying industry, resolving grid congestion, and steering tenders towards qualitative criteria such as sustainability and innovation – not just price. “All these topics – energy security, strategic autonomy, sustainability and affordable energy – are strongly interrelated and need to be closely orchestrated by the government.”
Karen Vennik
Karen Vennik holds the position of Commercial Director at Van Oord, where she heads up the offshore wind operations in the Netherlands and Scandinavian countries and oversees the global Subsea Rock Installation activities.
She has a master’s degree in law and business administration and completed a management course in economics at the University of Groningen.
Karen actively represents Van Oord in sustainability and innovation initiatives. As a member of Van Oord’s Offshore Energy and Sustainability Leadership Teams, she plays a key role in shaping the company’s energy transition and the company’s responsible business strategy.
Upscaling
Offshore wind is characterised by upscaling: ever larger wind turbines, assembled in deeper and deeper waters. The vessels Van Oord uses for this purpose are also getting bigger and bigger. This year the Boreas entered service, a vessel equipped for the next generation of wind turbines (see box). Vennik: “This vessel can install turbines that are not yet on the market.”
Multi-purpose parks
The wind farms themselves are also getting bigger and include more applications. The expectation is that wind farms will develop into energy parks, where green hydrogen can also be generated and floating solar panels can be installed. By 2050, they may even become ‘multi-purpose parks’, where food is cultivated and where industrial processes take place. They might even be a destination for tourists.
Van Oord is ready for this future. “We chose ‘Marine ingenuity’ as our motto for a reason”, Vennik says. “We are a family business with a long-term vision and are eager to continue our efforts to ensure a sustainable energy supply in the Netherlands, the EU and the world.”
Collaboration is essential
“We must do everything possible to maintain the strong rate of growth”, Vennik summarises the challenge. Only then can the climate targets be met and will the European offshore sector remain a technological leader. “But we can’t do it alone. We need everyone in the chain: governments, knowledge institutions and wind farm developers who want to invest in the Netherlands. That collaboration will be essential in the coming years. We need each other more than ever.”
Boreas
Innovative ships are necessary to speed up the energy transition. The Boreas, the most versatile installation vessel in the offshore wind sector, was christened and put into service this year. This impressive vessel offers everything needed to install the next generation of wind turbines (20 MW, 300 metres high and with a rotor measuring 250 to 300 metres).
With its 155-metre boom, the ship can install wind turbines the size of the Eiffel Tower. Thanks to four giant jack-up legs, each extending 126 metres, the vessel can be used in water depths of up to 70 metres.
The ship itself is also an example of how Van Oord is trying to reduce its own emissions and become climate neutral. The vessel is the first of its kind capable of running on methanol, reducing its energy footprint by 78 percent.
