Breeze acquires Bulgarian engineering firm to back net-zero projects

Norwegian company Breeze Ship Design has acquired Varshyp Design in Varna, Bulgaria, an engineering firm specialized in all fields required for ship design, marine engineering and marine consultancy.

The company’s new entity in Bulgaria will be named Breeze Ship Design Bulgaria OOD and its 20 employees will constitute a solid engineering hub in Varna.

“The expansion will strengthen Breeze Ship Design’s engineering capacity and bring increased synergy by combining business activities and diversifying work tasks between our offices in Norway and Bulgaria,” said Ove H. Wilhelmsen, Chief Executive Officer of Breeze Ship Design.

The company explained that the acquisition process started last year as a result of increased market demand for Breeze services, particularly related to zero-emission projects. 

“We are currently working hands-on with design and projecting of several vessels that will operate on clean alternative fuels. In addition, we are also involved in CO2 capture and storage, designing two carriers for safe loading, transport, and offshore injection of C2 with as low emissions as possible,” Wilhelmsen explained.

He stated that last year’s increased demand for ship design services continues into 2023.

“The market outlook is bright. There are many assignments to compete for, especially within zero-emission projects. Together with our new colleagues in Bulgaria, we have every intention of making our mark in all the vessel segments we operate in,” Wilhelmsen noted.

To remind, Breeze joined forces with compatriot oil major Equinor to develop a ship design concept for a CO2 carrier for direct offshore injection.

The key design drivers will be safe loading, transport, and offshore injection of CO2 with as low emissions as possible. The vessel will be specialized for its trade with a cargo capacity of approximately 40.000 tonnes of CO2.