Belgium's Jan De Nul has secured its first green financing for a powerful new offshore installation vessel ordered this week in China.
It said the floating crane ship Lez Alizes will be delivered from CMHI Haimen in 2022.
The deal comes six months after it contracted the offshore installation vessel Voltaire at Cosco Shipping Heavy Industry.
The owner has not revealed a price, but said it has agreed a green loan with a consortium of five banks, led by KBC Bank, for the financing of both ships.
The other lenders are BNP Paribas Fortis, ING Luxembourg, Rabobank and Belfius Bank.
"This transaction is an important milestone and first for both Jan De Nul Group and KBC Bank", it said.
Green credentials
Paul Lievens, CFO at Jan De Nul, added: "We are proud to be able to take out our first green loan. This will finance our two brand new vessels, Voltaire and Les Alizes, where both will mainly be used for the installation and maintenance of offshore wind farms."
The fact that both are equipped with an advanced exhaust gas treatment system also made them eligible for green financing.
The ships will be capable of building the newest offshore plants and handling the biggest turbine foundations.
Les Alizes has a crane with a lifting capacity of 5,000 tons.
But it will also be suitable for decommissioning offshore oil and gas platforms.
"This vessel investment is a response to the global trend within the offshore wind energy sector to design and install increasingly larger wind turbines," Jan De Nul said.
"This new generation of turbine can be more than 270 metres high, with blades up to 120 metres long and sit on foundations up to 2,500 tonnes.
"The offshore installation vessels currently available on the market are experiencing great difficulties in installing these new turbines and their heavier foundations, with their enormous dimensions and installation weights."
