Heerema expands offshore wind footprint with Porto hub

Heerema Marine Contractors is establishing a new engineering hub in Porto as it expands its international technical capabilities to support complex offshore projects.

The Portuguese operation, Heerema Portugal Lda, is due to begin operations this month and will form part of Heerema’s global engineering network, working alongside the company’s headquarters in Leiden and offices in London, Houston, Singapore and Villahermosa.

Heerema said the move is a long-term investment in Portuguese engineering talent, with Porto selected for its universities, technology sector and pool of experienced engineers and graduates.

“Our projects demand cutting-edge technical sophistication, and this is the perfect time to scale our global organization,” said Marcel de Nooijer, CEO, Heerema Marine Contractors. “The new office in Porto is not a temporary site for a single contract – it represents a structural, long-term investment in developing deep engineering expertise and capabilities in Portugal.”

The new team will work across the lifecycle of offshore energy projects, covering tender support, conceptual engineering, detailed installation planning and offshore execution.

Its activities will include the installation of monopile foundations and offshore substations for offshore wind projects, the transport and installation of large offshore structures, and the decommissioning of end-of-life offshore platforms.

Initial recruitment is under way for technical project managers, installation and structural engineers, technical draughtsmen and HR specialists. Eight senior specialists from Heerema’s Leiden and Houston offices will support the launch.

De Nooijer said Porto was being established as a permanent part of the company’s engineering organisation rather than as a project-specific operation.

“This is a structural, long-term investment in developing deep engineering expertise and capabilities in Portugal,” he said.

Claudio Gentile, general manager of Heerema Porto, said the new hub would strengthen Heerema’s ability to respond to growing demand for complex offshore engineering projects and support the energy transition.