Aberdeen-headquartered North Star has created a new role to help spearhead growth into European wind farm shipping.
The UK shipowner said it has recruited Caspar Blum as its European renewables lead in Hamburg.
The company added that the addition to the senior leadership team will establish its credentials in Germany as it looks to expand.
“His appointment will support the business to realise significant opportunities in the region as more countries seek energy supply security through new investment in offshore wind,” the owner said.
Blum has more than a decade’s experience in the offshore sector and joins the company after five years at offshore technology company Amplemann Operations.
While there, he rose through the ranks, spending 18 months as area manager of sales and business development in Europe and Africa.
The executive has successfully developed and executed strategies for a number of Amplemann's service operation vessel (SOV) product lines.
Earlier, he worked at Baltic Diver Germany as a tender manager for a couple of years following a two-year stint as a shipbroker in Aberdeen for GRS Group.
Blum said: “I am thrilled to embark on this new professional chapter as North Star’s European renewables lead in Hamburg.
“The firm’s commitment to being an offshore infrastructure support services leader aligns perfectly with my passion for renewables, innovation, and sustainability.”
Big fleet plans
North Star aims to increase its fleet with the addition of 40 renewables ships by 2040.
The group is backed by investment company Partners Group.
North Star chief executive Matthew Gordon said Hamburg is at the epicentre of European offshore wind operations and the ideal place to start expanding the team to support fleet growth objectives.
“With our high-quality, hybrid-electric CSOV and SOV fleet expanding and investment in place for further newbuilds, finding an experienced and well-connected senior team member to spearhead our ambitious growth plans on the ground has become an essential part of our plans,” he said.
Last week, the shipowner said it had bagged a bonus wind-farm contract after one of its new SOVs was delivered early.
The 79-loa Grampian Derwent has been handed over three months ahead of schedule by Vard’s Vung Tao yard in Vietnam to help with construction and commissioning at the Dogger Bank site in the North Sea.
SSE Renewables has awarded the ship a new scope of work as a result.
