Meyer Werft enters the construction of converter platforms

For wind farms at sea - Meyer Werft enters the construction of converter platforms

The crisis-stricken Papenburg-based Meyer Werft is opening up to a new business field and is entering the construction of converter platforms for offshore wind parks in the sea. The steel construction work for the converter platform DolWin delta has begun at the yard, as announced by the network operator and contractor Amprion. According to Amprion, it is the first converter platform to be built in Germany in many years. DolWin delta is said to be the first of four converter platforms that Amprion will have produced largely at the Meyer Werft site.

"The commissioning of Meyer Werft for the production of steel structures for four offshore converter platforms shows that it is possible to create new production capacities for the energy transition in Germany," said Dieter Janecek, Maritime Coordinator of the Federal Government, at the ceremonial start of production in Papenburg. Jan Meyer, Chief Business Innovation Officer of the Meyer Group, spoke of an important "milestone in the expansion of our product portfolio."

Further orders could follow

The power network operator Amprion had commissioned the Spanish company Dragados and Siemens Energy for the construction of a total of four converter platforms in 2022. The consortium then engaged the Meyer Werft, known for its cruise ships, as a subcontractor. "To achieve our ambitious expansion targets, we need significantly more production capacities than before," said Peter Barth, Co-Managing Director of Amprion Offshore. "There will be many more projects for the exploration of offshore wind energy in Germany and Europe in the future."

Converter platforms are large technical installations that stand on fixed piles in the sea. In them, the alternating current produced by wind turbines is converted to direct current. For the ambitious expansion plans of the German government for offshore wind energy, converter platforms are considered an industrial key component. The production capacities for this are scarce.

Order in the millions

According to the German Offshore Wind Energy Association (BWO), it is about orders in the millions when it comes to the construction of converter platforms. "I am pleased that we are getting another production site for the construction of converter platforms in Germany with the Meyer Werft in Papenburg," said BWO Managing Director Stefan Thimm to the German Press Agency. "That's important for value creation and employment here, for shortening transport routes, and for reducing dependencies on international supply chains."

The Emden-based traditional company is in the greatest crisis in its more than 200-year history. Despite full order books, the yard must close a financing gap of 2.7 billion euros by the end of 2027. The cause are the aftereffects of the Corona pandemic and the price increases due to the Russian attack on Ukraine. On Wednesday, the works council, the trade union, and management agreed on points for a restructuring. The agreement includes the elimination of 340 jobs. In return, there is a minimum employment for 3,100 employees until 2030.

1. Meyer Werft GmbH, located in Papenburg, is venturing into a new business area by constructing converter platforms for offshore wind parks.
2. The construction of the converter platform DolWin delta commenced at Meyer Werft, as announced by Amprion GmbH, the network operator and contractor.
3. Dieter Janecek, Maritime Coordinator of the German Federal Government, highlighted the importance of Meyer Werft's involvement in the energy transition during the ceremony in Papenburg.
4. Amprion Offshore, a business segment of Amprion GmbH, aims to build four converter platforms primarily at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg.
5. Jan Meyer, Chief Business Innovation Officer of the Meyer Group, considers the production of steel structures for offshore converter platforms as a significant milestone in expanding the company's product portfolio.
6. Amprion had commissioned Dragados and Siemens Energy to construct four converter platforms in 2022, and later engaged Meyer Werft as a subcontractor due to the need for additional production capacities.
7. Converter platforms are crucial components for the German government's ambitious expansion plans in offshore wind energy, as they convert the alternating current produced by wind turbines into direct current.
8. The construction of converter platforms is estimated to generate orders worth millions according to the German Offshore Wind Energy Association (BWO).
9. The Papenburg-based Meyer Werft, known for its cruise ship production, is in the midst of a significant restructuring, which includes the elimination of 340 jobs to address the financial crisis caused by the aftermath of the Corona pandemic and the Russian attack on Ukraine.

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