Australian green energy giant Fortescue has just signed a strategic partnership to export green energy produced in Morocco to the old continent and international markets. It has reached an agreement with Belgian maritime construction group Jan De Nul to develop submarine cables, the daily says The Economist in its edition of Wednesday June 12. “They are intended to connect the two continents, and transport green electricity from Morocco to Europe. The announcement was made via a joint press release. specifies the daily.
This agreement is part of the joint venture created by the OCP phosphate group and Fortescue Energy, a subsidiary of Fortescue, to supply green energy, green hydrogen and green ammonia to Morocco, Europe and international markets. “This partnership includes the development of manufacturing facilities and an R&D hub, to advance Morocco’s rapidly growing renewable energy industry», we read again.
Fortescue CEO Andrew Forrest says there is a huge opportunity to send renewable electrons from Morocco and North Africa to Europe, to industries and consumers who deserve better choice than they currently have , fossil fuels that emit carbon and contribute to global warming.
Fortescue believes that a lack of cable laying capacity is creating a bottleneck in connecting Morocco to Europe, and as such this partnership with Jan De Nul will bring considerable benefits, both in North Africa and in Europe, in terms of employment and economic growth.
“For his part, the CEO of Jan De Nul expresses his satisfaction with this partnership. The company, known for its expertise, has a fleet of high-performance cable ships. In September 2023, the Belgian company strengthened its fleet with an order for a Fleeming Jenkin, an extra-large cable ship, with a cable transport capacity of 28,000 tonnes“, underlines The Economist.
The vessel allows cables to be installed over greater distances and in deeper waters. It will be delivered in 2026. In 2024 a new order for an XL ship will be added. It will be the fifth vessel in the Belgian company’s cable laying fleet. Over the past ten years, Jan De Nul has installed 2,500 kilometers of submarine cables in 25 countries.
By Lamia Elouali
06/11/2024 at 7:58 p.m.
