“The acquisition of Windcat fits into CMB’s strategy to diversify its business portfolio into the fast-growing offshore wind market and scale up the deployment of hydrogen ships and engines. CMB wants to grow Windcat’s business by building on its strong market-leading European platform whilst expanding into new European and non-European markets, diversifying into the owning and operation of Construction Service Operation Vessels and Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs and SOVs), and deploying hydrogen engines developed by CMB.TECH onboard the existing and newbuilding Windcat fleet. The first hydrogen powered CTV, the Hydrocat, is expected to be operational as early as June 2021. The construction of hydrogen refuelling stations in dedicated Windcat ports will be investigated as well.”
Willem van der Wel, Managing Director of Windcat, added:
“We have been working closely together with CMB over the past two years in the development of the Hydrocat, the world’s first Hydrogen driven CTV. This important step in Windcat’s history will allow us to further develop this cooperation and make further steps in the development of the company. We are excited and look forward to work closer with CMB and are confident that together we will be able to further develop our strong position in the rapidly growing offshore wind industry and successfully execute our ambitious plans for the future. With the global challenges to reduce the carbon footprint CMB and Windcat will continue the development of the fleet in order to make significant steps in providing clean fuel solutions to wind farm support vessels. We would like to thank SEACOR Marine for the support during the last nine years in which they have allowed the company to grow and maintain our leading position in the industry.”
Clarksons Platou Securities acted as sole financial advisor to SEACOR Marine. Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP acted as legal advisor to SEACOR Marine.
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SEACOR Marine provides global marine and support transportation services to offshore oil and natural gas and windfarm facilities worldwide. SEACOR Marine and its joint ventures operate a diverse fleet of offshore support and specialty vessels that deliver cargo and personnel to offshore installations; handle anchors and mooring equipment required to tether rigs to the seabed; tow rigs and assist in placing them on location and moving them between regions; provide construction, well workover and decommissioning support; and carry and launch equipment used underwater in drilling and well installation, maintenance and repair. Additionally, SEACOR Marine’s vessels provide accommodations for technicians and specialists, safety support and emergency response services.
CMB is a diversified shipping and logistics group based in Antwerp, Belgium. CMB owns and operates more than 90 large sea-going ships in dry bulk (Bocimar), container transport (Delphis) and chemical tankers (Bochem). CMB is also involved in cleantech and the development of industrial hydrogen applications (CMB.TECH) and real estate (Reslea, Maritime Campus Antwerp). CMB has offices in Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong, Hamburg and Brentwood.
Certain statements discussed in this release as well as in other reports, materials and oral statements that the Company releases from time to time to the public constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Generally, words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “believe,” “plan,” “target,” “forecast” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements concern management’s expectations, strategic objectives, business prospects, anticipated economic performance and financial condition and other similar matters. Forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of assumptions, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or expected by the management of the Company. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual events or results may differ significantly from these statements. Actual events or results are subject to significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors, many of which are beyond the Company’s control. It should be understood that it is not possible to predict or identify all such factors. Consequently, the preceding should not be considered to be a complete discussion of all potential risks or uncertainties. Given these risk factors, investors and analysts should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of the document in which they are made. The Company disclaims any
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