The two key markets have recently downgraded their offshore ambitions — Germany reduced its target from 10GW to 6.5GW by 2020, while the UK said its offshore capacity could be as little as 8GW by 2020, having stated in 2009 that 20GW was “achievable”.

For companies that provide jack-ups and cable-laying vessels to the offshore wind industry, such as Denmark-based A2Sea, any reduction in installations can have major repercussions.

Yet