The Brittany Region has formalized the adaptation of its industrial and port infrastructure dedicated to floating wind power in the Celtic Sea and along the European Atlantic coast. This long-term strategy is based on the synergy of two major sites: the port of Brest is establishing itself as the platform for the assembly and integration of the floats, while the port of Lorient is set to become a strategic base for services, mooring logistics, and maintenance at the heart of future offshore wind farms.

This positioning has just reached a decisive milestone. The InFloW project, led by BrestPort, has been selected as part of the call for projects under the France 2030 national investment plan. The French government is providing over €58 million to adapt the infrastructure of the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) terminal in Brest. This investment validates the ambition of the Brittany Region, which has already invested over €250 million in the ORE hub to anticipate the sector’s exceptional technical requirements.

In practical terms, the InFloW project will enable Brest to centralize the entire industrial value chain for floating wind power on a single site. The terminal will handle the manufacture and storage of giant components, the integration of turbines, and complex launch operations. The planned investments will strengthen the quays and logistics areas to accommodate very large-scale industrial operations. By 2050, this assembly hub is expected to generate around 4,000 jobs and prevent the emission of 850,000 tonnes of CO2, firmly anchoring Brittany in the European energy transition value chain.

Some 100 nautical miles to the south, Lorient forms the second pillar of this project. Strategically positioned close to the future wind farms of southern Brittany, including the Pennavel site, France’s first commercial-scale floating offshore wind farm (250 MW), the Port of Lorient aims to host construction and installation operations, particularly for the mooring lines of floating wind turbines for the Atlantic coast market, in addition to maintenance activities. The Brittany Region continues to support this development through the ongoing modernization of its infrastructure and the creation of a dedicated port authority; the Port of Lorient will provide an operational logistics base throughout the wind farms’ entire lifespan.

For developers, energy companies, and international infrastructure funds, Brest and Lorient constitute an integrated offering that addresses the global strain on port capacities suited to floating wind power within a qualified environment. Nearly 200 companies, mostly micro-enterprises and SMEs, make up the sector, and 50% of French R&D is based in Brittany. Operating across the entire value chain including metal and shipbuilding, maritime operations, design offices, marine science and technology, and across all technologies, these companies already supply Tier 1, Tier 2, and beyond, with some 260 references, particularly internationally. All are listed in a directory available to clients.

The Brittany Region Supports All ORE Technologies

• Onshore wind power with the Ailes Marines wind farm in Saint-Brieuc Bay
• Tidal stream energy with the Paimpol-Bréhat site, a European test site in oceanic conditions, as well as France’s first grid-connected tidal stream turbine off the coast of Ouessant and a potential of around 500 MW for commercial farms at Fromveur and Raz de Sein.
• Wave energy, with the Ifremer test site at Sainte-Anne du Portzic, another pilot site at the port of Roscoff, and a further high-potential site currently undergoing qualification.