Global Installation Vessel Fleet Could Enable Up to 400 GW of Offshore Wind by 2030, but More Newbuilds Needed Outside China – Study

Jan. 22 (offshoreWIND.biz) The global fleet of offshore wind installation vessels could support achieving up to 400 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030, provided that additional vessels are ordered and deployed, alongside supportive market conditions, according to a scenario study by the Kuehne Climate Center. The study also shows that, looking globally, newbuild investments required to achieve this are primarily needed in markets outside China, which has a strong fleet serving its home market.

The analysis indicates that the existing wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) and heavy lift vessel (HLV) fleet, vessels already on order, and additional newbuilds assumed under the scenario could enable the installation of around 320 GW of new offshore wind capacity by the end of the decade, increasing the total global installed capacity to about 400 GW under aligned conditions.

The report emphasises that this represents a vessel capacity potential rather than a projection of actual deployment, with outcomes also dependent on broader supply chain readiness, market conditions, and political ambition.

The study concludes that ambitions to reach 500 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030 were unlikely to be achievable due to fleet availability, investment lead times and broader market conditions that limited what installation logistics could realistically deliver within that timeframe.

“From the vessel fleets’ perspective—ignoring all other factors that determine the build-out of offshore wind—meeting the 2030 ambition of 500 GW offshore wind is out of reach”, the report says, offering two scenarios in which regions could still individually achieve 80 to 85 per cent of the 2030 ambition, which globally results in around 400 GW of installed fixed-bottom offshore wind capacity.

China’s offshore wind installation vessel fleet is assessed as being capable of achieving around 225 GW of installed capacity by 2030, primarily through improved coordination between the demand for, and supply of, turbine installation services. According to the study, this outcome would rely largely on optimising the use of existing vessels rather than on significant additional fleet investments.

Read complete article: https://www.offshorewind.biz/2026/01/22/global-installation-vessel-fleet-could-enable-up-to-400-gw-of-offshore-wind-by-2030-but-more-newbuilds-needed-outside-china-study/