France Awards $300M to Ports to Support Floating Offshore Wind Farms
The French government will provide nearly $300 million in funding to five of the country’s top ports to accelerate the development of infrastructure to support the development of floating offshore wind energy projects. Beyond supporting the development of France’s wind energy projects, the goal is to position France to become a leader in supporting floating wind farms in Europe, including the Mediterranean.
The government had launched a call for projects in 2024 as part of an initiative it calls France 2030. The government has recommitted to supporting the offshore wind energy sector. Domestically, France is targeting 6 GW of floating offshore wind energy capacity by 2040.
France currently has only approximately 2 GW of installed offshore wind energy capacity, but the government recently released the details for bidding for approximately 10 GW of projects it expects to award in early 2027. It currently has a pipeline of approximately 5 GW of projects, but to reach its goal of 15 GW by 2035 and 45 GW by 2050, France will require a strong contribution from floating offshore wind farms.
“Ports are a strategic link in the development of wind power, particularly offshore,” said Philippe Tabarot, Minister of Transport. “Thanks to their proximity to coastlines and their vast spaces adapted to these exceptional facilities, they play a key role in their assembly, installation, and maintenance. By contributing to job creation and added value in the sector in France, our ports strengthen our industrial and energy sovereignty.”
Brest will receive approximately $66 million to expand its wind port capabilities (Brest, France)
The projects selected focus on the construction or modification of berths, reclaiming land, and developing the spaces needed to support the manufacturing of wind energy components. The plans call for devoting space to the marshalling of equipment and the assembly of floating offshore wind turbines.
The awards totaling nearly 260 million euros are going to the ports of Cherbourg, Brest, Nantes-Saint Nazaire, Port-la-Nouvelle, and Marseille-Fos. The government expects it will unlock a total of nearly 1 billion euros in investments to allow for the deployment of floating wind power.
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The largest project is nearly $100 million for Marseille-Fos. It includes the development of 30 hectares of dedicated land and the dredging of a 400-meter-long berth. Work will begin by 2028 and be completed between late 20029 and mid-2030.
The port on the Mediterranean is seen as a key competitor to support a broad range of projects in the Mediterranean. The French government has declared it will become a leader in the development of floating offshore wind internationally.
