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As OEEC 2024 comes to a close, Navingo invites all attendees to join for the final celebration! After two dynamic days of exploring innovations in the offshore energy sector, it’s time to relax, reflect and network over drinks and bites.
Join us at the Stage for this festive wrap-up. Let’s raise a glass to impactful discussions, new connections and the future of offshore energy!
Thanks to all participants, partners, sponsors and media partners for making this event such a great success! See you next year on 25 & 26 November 2025!
Are you ready to make impact?
Tjardo Meulenbroek, Partner & Trainer at Critical Minds, and Meike Broenink, Managing Partner & Trainer at Critical Minds, shared theoretical insights into how beliefs drive leadership impact in the energy transition arena. The speakers talked about behavioral patterns, which they defined as “an ingrained way of doing things.”
In the second part of the session, Meulenbroek and Broenink showed participants how behavioral patterns can be identified during a practical exercise, as well as how to break those patterns if they stopped being helpful.
Innovation Award Show
Innovators from WaveHexapod, Strohm, CORROSION and Bluestream, Breman Innovation, Fibersail, Heerema Engineering Solutions, and Wärtsilä pitched their ideas at the Stage, competing for the title of Best Innovation and a €5,180 prize – Innovation Booth Package at OEEC 2025.
Furthermore, they tackled questions from the jury – comprising David Molenaar , former CEO at Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy B.V., Celina van den Bank , Process Manager at VolkerWessels & Chair at Young KIVI, and Nelleke Vuik , Senior Installation Engineer at Seaway 7.
The jury decided that this year’s prize for best innovation should go to Fibersail’s project , presenting the award to company CCO Sander Zwanenburg.
Congratulations!
Innovations for offshore renewable energy tenders
Speakers of this Conference session discussed their offshore renewable energy activities and technologies, diving deeper into tender procedures and the upcoming Dutch tender.
Ireen Geerbex, Market Development Director NL at Vattenfall, said: “We need strong adaptation to tender systems to prepare for challenges ahea d.”
“What we need is flexibility of realization, electrification roadmap, innovations on system integration and ecology, and more criteria on sustainability,” Geerbex noted, adding that the quality bar needs to be raised – and it needs to be done now.
Other participants:
North Sea Energy – Integrated energy infrastructure planning North Sea
During the session, speakers presented infrastructure development perspectives for electricity, hydrogen, CO2 and natural gas. Together with the audience, they then debated on the need and challenges of integrated infrastructure planning at the EU level and in the North Sea basin, including electricity, hydrogen, CO2 and (remaining and to be repurposed) methane infrastructures.
Rob van Zoelen from the New Energy Coalition said that there are three main reasons the North Sea is important for the energy transition:
Embedding cyber resilience across the enterprise: a blueprint for success
In this session, Edwin Franse, CISO at Van Oord, shared how cyber security can be seamlessly integrated into business operations, enabling a holistic approach to safeguarding the company and its broader ecosystem.
To illustrate this, Franse talked about how Van Oord opted for a combination of best practices, prioritizing a set of actions, and picked an ISO standard to form a foundation for its information security system, pointing out: “It’s not just about certificates, it’s about getting things done.”
Young Professional Award
This year, OEEC introduced the Young Professional Award for the individual with the best motivation, and its first winner is Mónica Yus Santana, Sub Project Lead at TenneT.
The prize includes a personal leadership program to the valuation of €6.800 by Crest Collective. In seven days over a period of nine months, the participant will work closely with around 12 participants, guided by an experienced facilitator, fostering meaningful connections as they support each other in addressing personal and professional questions.
Other nominees: Violinde den Breeijen, Trainee at TenneT TSO, Georgios Kleisiaris, Structural Engineer at Van Oord and Annika Schewitz, Project Manager Energy Transition at ECHT.
Congratulations!
Supply Chain: Smooth the process
The panelists of this session discussed climate change, renewable energy targets as well as challenges in the industry and the supply chain that might hinder the progress.
“It’s not so much about money but it’s more about priority,” claimed Zahra Janipour, Energy Transition Specialist at Rabobank. “We need to be more critical about what we’re doing and the consequences of what we do.”
Speaking from the military and defense side of things, Paul Flos, Program Director International Naval Materiel Cooperation at the Dutch Ministry of Defense, said: “On the security side, people still think from a point of view of what was ten years ago but we need more mental flexibility on this now.”
Leadership in Energy: A Conversation with Manon van Beek, CEO of TenneT
Manon van Beek, CEO of TenneT, discussed leadership, innovation and TenneT’s role in Europe’s energy transition.
Van Beek underlined the importance of leadership in connecting the energy transition pieces together for the system to work efficiently. Moreover, the CEO encouraged young leaders to begin as soon as possible because “it is never too early to start,” noting that leaders are needed with a “cathedral-building” mindset, who think ahead and do not expect results only in the short term.
Organizers of Dutch, U.S. offshore energy events ink new agreement
The U.S. industry organization for offshore renewable energy, Oceantic Network , and Dutch media and event company, Navingo , today signed a new agreement to cross-promote each other’s events, Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference in the Netherlands and the International Partnering Forum (IPF) in the United States.
READ MORE: Organisers of Dutch, US Offshore Energy Events Ink New Agreement
Focus on wind
The Stage started the second day of OEEC with wind-focused sessions: Offshore Wind Outlook by NedZero and The Value of Wind by Sander Mertens. The panelists discussed the industry’s growth, challenges and opportunities, as well as aligning solar and wind supply with energy needs.
Mertens stated that the combination of different sources and sectors of energy – instead of keeping them apart – would bring the best results and help overcome the seasonal and other obstacles that each sector faces.
Grids and interconnectors: Piecing it together
At the first Conference session, the panelists agreed that three grids need to be developed in the Netherlands to reach net zero: one for offshore wind, one for hydrogen and one for CO2. However, onshore demand needs to increase as well, they pointed out.
Michiel van Rij, Country Lead of Offshore Wind Development Netherlands at RWE, said that the demand is currently lagging behind and needs to be in sync with supply.
Saskia Jaarsma, Head of Offshore Development – Large Projects Offshore at TenneT, noted that the aim is to have ‘LionLink,’ set to connect the Netherlands and the UK, commissioned in 2032, or 2033.
Additionally, additional interconnection options are being investigated.
Welcome to Day 2
The doors are open again. On the second day of Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference, you can expect a full and insightful program.
Here’s what’s coming:
The Stage
Conference Area
The Government of the Netherlands
That is all for today, see you tomorrow!
Enjoy a refreshing drink and appetizers at the end of the first day of the exhibition. Starting at 18:00, you are invited to join the networking drinks – an excellent opportunity to connect with fellow attendees. Location: Conference Area
Pioneering a Sustainable Future for Offshore T&I Equipment
For the last session of the day, MeeMaken, Van Oord, and ECHT regie in transitie representatives presented the Re-Quip Marketplace – a platform aimed at enhancing sustainability and transparency for offshore transport and installation (T&I) equipment and materials.
According to Erwin Coolen, Managing Director at ECHT regie in transitie, we will see more repairs and refurbishments in the future, which means that sustainability will be important for a strong economy.
Onshore and Offshore Wind Power Solutions for Economic Resilience of Ukraine
OEEC 2024 featured another interesting session at the Stage. Panelists discussed available investment opportunities in the Ukrainian wind energy market and what the market can offer to Dutch partners.
Currently, Ukraine is developing approximately 4 GW of new onshore wind projects, set to be operational by 2030. Additionally, the country is said to have technical potential for offshore wind energy development in the Azov and Black Seas, estimated at 50 GW.
Nature Regeneration North Sea
Jeroen Vis of the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature introduced the new program, ‘Nature Regeneration North Sea,’ during a session at the Conference.
“The beauty of the North Sea nature is something we cannot keep taking for granted, as the ecosystem is under increasing pressure, mostly due to human impact,” Vis noted, adding that more needs to be done, and the “traditional” protection and recovery alone is not enough.
Outlook USA: a post-election update
Liz Burdock, President & CEO at Oceantic Network, discussed what the administration change could mean for offshore wind projects in the United States.
The incoming president will not stop offshore wind projects and the investments will continue, Burdock claimed, adding: “We’re confident we’ll get through this and not just survive, we will thrive.”
While the incoming president might announce withdrawal from climate agreements, Burdock believes that the states will go their own way, noting: “States continue to show their support for offshore wind.”
Damen, Herman Sr. shake hands on methanol-ready, diesel-electric multipurpose ship
Dutch shipbuilding major Damen Shipyards Group and compatriot tug and workboat company Herman Sr. have just signed a letter of intent (LOI) for the construction of a new methanol-ready diesel-electric multipurpose vessel (MPV) 4916.
“This is a boat that ticks all the boxes. The MPV 4916 allows for the use of a single platform and crew to perform the widest possible range of workboat operations. The standard vessel can be reconfigured for change of use, or for project specific tasks, offering added value,” said John Krielaart, the Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld Design & Proposal Engineer responsible for the MPV 4916.
READ MORE: Damen, Herman Sr. shake hands on methanol-ready, diesel-electric multipurpose ship
CCS: Completing the climate change menu
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is expected to play an important role in the transition to net zero emissions. Many believe it is vital in realizing the climate goals of the future. However, there are challenges in its adoption. Panelists of the session discussed just this.
According to Berte Simons, Business Unit Director of CO2 Storage & Transport Systems at EBN, after 2030, the Netherlands can do ten times what it is doing now in CCS. The key challenges are that it is a developing industry, it is very capital-intensive and requires a lot of collaboration.
Alistair Macfarlane, Manager of UK Carbon Transport & Storage at NSTA is confident that the CCS industry will happen, however, all individuals need to reach their respective targets.
When questioned why is the industry not working on decarbonizing the input, but is looking at decarbonizing the output, Macfarlane said that there is not only one answer, but one of them is to reverse the damage that is done.
Seabed security panel discussion
To protect undersea infrastructure, the knowledge and equipment of the offshore energy supply chain are said to be much needed.
Paul Flos, Program Director of International Naval Materiel Cooperation at the Dutch Ministry of Defense, said they need the contribution of the civilian industry to help the Netherlands’ Ministry of Defense and NATO win wars.
Sander van Luik, Program Manager of Defense, Safety and Security at TNO & SeaSEC, discussed the question of accountability and responsibility when it comes to pipeline vulnerabilities and protecting energy security and supply from attacks.
RVO’s Workshop on Offshore Wind in the Netherlands
Update on Dutch Offshore Wind Policy, presented by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate’s Eva de Leede, Head of Unit Offshore Wind (market policies) and Joost Vermeulen, Head of Unit, Offshore Wind (spatial policies).
Speaking about government plans, the new offshore wind roadmap and target of 50 GW by 2040, Eva de Leede invited developers who plan to participate in the next offshore wind tender to diversify their supplier portfolio as the government is working on including some new measures such as those for cyber security.
De Leede added that things such as cyber security are now a high priority and the government cannot wait for the later tenders to include them so they are working now on implementing it into the upcoming IJmuiden Ver Gamma and Nederwiek offshore wind tender that will be launched in 2025.
READ MORE: Dutch Gov’t to Launch Next Offshore Wind Tender in September 2025, Postpones Procedure for One Site
FOLLOW LIVE STREAM: OEEC24 – Government of the Netherlands
Data driven insights turned into impact
During the session, Dirk-Jan Goudswaard, Manager of Digital Operations at Huisman, discussed how data-based value can be created for customers. He claimed that predictability is key for complex operations such as the ones performed by Huisman.
The company has been using an online platform for keeping track of equipment and collaborating with customers since 2022. Still, this is said to be reactive, which is why the company found “a hidden treasure” – an R&D project to make data driven based decisions.
Goudswaard spoke about various scenarios where the solution can be used, such as wire rope.
Thanks to a theoretical wear prediction model and smart cameras that measure broken strands, things like the wire rope’s lifetime could be predicted, according to Goudswaard.
Green Growth: Securing a sustainable future
The speakers of the session at the Conference shared insights about clean energy, decarbonization and sustainability in the context of green growth. Furthermore, they provided clarity on what “green growth” actually means.
“Green growth is not only fighting the fight against climate change but achieving sustainability all over,” said Mark van Stiphout, Deputy Head of Unit for Research, Innovation, Competitiveness and Digitalization at DG Energy, European Commission.
Bas Nekeman, Business Unit Director Northern Europe at DEME Offshore, pointed out: “We can look back into history and history will tell us where we need to go into the future.”
Nature Enhancement & Offshore Wind, 5 years The Rich North Sea program
The Rich North Sea, a joint program by the North Sea Foundation and Natuur & Milieu, utilizes offshore wind farms to enhance biodiversity and counter climate change.
During this session at the Stage, Karin Bilo, Senior Marine Ecology Specialist at Ørsted, discussed how Ørsted installed cod pipes. By providing habitat for cods, the company expects to provide habitat for other species, such as lobsters, which is where the Rich North Sea cooperation came from.
“Climate change will have much more impactful consequences for the marine environment,” noted Marjolein Kelder, Senior Project Manager at The Rich North Sea, adding that the time to act is now.
“This is a pilot which is going to give us some insight into how you can use these findings and integrate them into your windfarms,” said Bilo.
Kelder also mentioned that a toolbox was developed containing practical information on the project and highlighted the importance of learning by doing.
The future of offshore hydrogen
The Stage kicked off with ‘The future of offshore hydrogen’ session with discussions on the future of offshore hydrogen and a presentation on how integrating electrolyzers into offshore turbines can lower the cost of energy and enhance the security of supply.
Speakers included Jacqueline Vaessen, Director a.i. at NLHydrogen, and Jan Willem Langeraar, Director of Business Development at HYGRO.
“Hydrogen is not the holy grain, it will not solve anything, but it has an important role in heavy-duty mobility and can balance the electricity system ,” stated Vaessen.
“ NL is still the front-runner, but the competition is coming close.”
Floating Wind: Expanding the offshore wind market
The Floating Wind session is now well underway at the Conference, with the panelists discussing the specific requirements for floating wind, compared to fixed-bottom, and what these further require from the supply chain.
“The perfect port for floating wind hasn’t been built yet,” said Tommy Sandtorv, CCO at Karmsund Port.
Speakers included:
Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference officially opens!
The Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference has officially opened!
We welcome everyone to the 17th edition of our event, dedicated to the offshore energy sector. Are you ready to network and learn about new products and services in the industry?
Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference 2024 (OEEC 2024) is minutes away from the official opening!
The offshore energy industry is gathering at RAI Amsterdam as Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference will soon officially open its doors.
The stands are ready and OEEC is buzzing with activity, even though we are some half an hour away from the official opening.
Here we will regularly update you with event highlights. You can expect plenty of interaction, information, presentations and innovations.
What’s coming later today
The Stage
Conference Area
The Government of the Netherlands
about 1 year ago
Welcome to the Live Blog! That’s a wrap! As OEEC 2024 comes to a close, Navingo invites all attendees to join for the final celebration! After two dynamic days of exploring innovations in the offshore energy sector, it’s time to relax, reflect and network over drinks and bites. Join us at the Stage
