Oil supermajor BP added Japan to its growing list of offshore wind markets as it made its first move into Asia in conjunction with local conglomerate Marubeni.

The UK-based group and Marubeni signed an offshore wind strategic partnership that will see BP take a 49% stake in an unnamed “selected offshore wind development opportunity” being advanced by the latter and could involve collaboration in other areas including hydrogen.

The move marks another expansion by BP of its fast-growing offshore wind operation that has already made big inroads into the US and UK markets.