On 3 July 2025, the Atlantic Area Secretariat, the managing authority of the Interreg Atlantic Area Programme, announced the projects selected under the third call of this European territorial cooperation instrument. Among them is Atlantic Offshore Tech (AOFFTECH), an ambitious three-year initiative led by GOE-Asime.
AOFFTECH’s main objective is to strengthen the value chain of the floating offshore wind industry in the Atlantic Area. It will do so through an innovative, transnational and collaborative approach bringing together 11 organisations from 5 European countries: Spain, Portugal, France, Ireland, and Norway.
A model for a fair, participatory and sustainable transition
In a context shaped by the urgent need to decarbonise the economy, reduce external energy dependency, and advance the commitments of the European Green Deal, AOFFTECH proposes an ambitious yet realistic roadmap. In response to the historical delay in offshore wind deployment in the Atlantic compared to other northern European regions, the project promotes multilevel cooperation, knowledge transfer, and the creation of strategic industrial alliances across regions.
The consortium includes key partners such as the Ferrol Industrial Campus (University of A Coruña), the Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN), MaREI (University College Cork), the Marine Institute, École Centrale de Nantes, Pôle Mer Bretagne Atlantique, and governance bodies such as ADENE and the Municipality of Viana do Castelo.
It also involves civil society stakeholders such as VianaPesca, whose experience will be essential to ensuring compatibility between offshore wind development and traditional coastal activities such as fisheries and aquaculture. In addition, the cluster Norwegian Offshore Wind participates in the project to share best practices and accelerate the development of this strategic technology in the Atlantic.
Technology, sustainability and territorial cohesion
AOFFTECH promotes an integrated strategy structured around three key pillars for the future of energy development: technological and industrial innovation, marine sustainability, and territorial and social equity in the energy transition.
The project sets out a collaborative and structured vision for the deployment of floating offshore wind in the Atlantic, based on technological efficiency, environmental respect, and social inclusion. One of its core components is the development of a common Atlantic strategy aimed at aligning public policies, mobilising investment, and identifying shared opportunities, overcoming the regulatory barriers that have hindered sector growth in the region.
To achieve this, AOFFTECH is organised around three main lines of action:
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Exchange between offshore platforms
Promotes the exchange of technical knowledge between experimental and operational infrastructures in order to accelerate the technological maturity of floating offshore wind and consolidate it as a reliable and efficient renewable energy source.
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ESG criteria for offshore wind
Develops a framework of environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria adapted to the marine environment, incorporating circular economy principles, inclusive governance, and active dialogue with territories to ensure sustainable and equitable sector deployment.
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Digital ecosystem for offshore wind
Fosters capacity building, knowledge exchange, and monitoring of technological, environmental and socio-political progress to support effective floating offshore wind deployment and advance decarbonisation. This tool enhances decision-making, strengthens cooperation among key stakeholders, and promotes specialised training as a strategic pillar of the sector.
In addition, AOFFTECH foresees the creation of an Atlantic network of innovative SMEs, the strengthening of transnational alliances, and the active involvement of local communities, ensuring an energy transition built on dialogue, shared responsibility, and territorial cohesion.
A project with an Atlantic and island vocation
Ultimately, AOFFTECH not only aims to accelerate the deployment of a strategic energy source but also to position Atlantic regions as key actors in this transformation, not merely as technology recipients but as active hubs of innovation, investment, and change.
Led by GOE-Asime, the project places the Atlantic firmly on the map of the European energy transition, promoting a safer, greener, fairer, and more competitive future.
