Asian nations are currently counting on some offshore wind farms to satisfy clean energy goals. They are witnessing a rising shortage of vessels for installing massive turbines in the sea.

As nations embark on a sudden and rapid build-out of wind power over the next decade, builders cannot churn out much-needed support vessels quickly enough to cope, shipping specialists, state. The situation will worsen as blades get longer and need bigger containers to tackle them.

Specialized vessels will be in demand for assignments across South Korea and Taiwan, explained Sean Lee, shipyard Marco Polo Marine’s CEO. A massive wave of these projects will come up in 2028 in Japan.

The complex task of installing a wind turbine in the seabed requires multiple types of vessels specially designed to carry out the job. Turbine installers boast massive cranes that can hoist objects as heavy as the most excellent sequoia tree. Commissioning service operation vessels, better known as CSOVs, offer adjustable gangways that permit technicians to get to the turbine blades.

Except for China, there are only ten turbine-installing vessels currently, and a few dozen CSOVs are operating worldwide, per shipbroker Clarksons. By 2030, the demand for turbine installers will outpace supply by approximately 15 vessels, while the gap for CSOVs will widen to over 145 CSOVs from the current number of 30, it estimates.

According to Global Wind Energy Council, China boasts 84 vessels that can install wind turbines. But most of those can handle only small turbines, with several being converted from oil and gas vessels. These are unlikely to meet specifications in Europe or elsewhere in Asia.