How Blue Water moves mega shipments

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Wind turbines, oil rigs and cargo you’d never believe could be moved. Mega transports demand true specialist expertise – and Poul Henning Nielsen is one of the minds behind Blue Water’s global technical engineering team.

When a structure is too large, too heavy or too complex to move by conventional means, the question is not whether it can be transported – but how. For nearly two decades, Naval Architect Poul Henning Nielsen has been one of the experts answering that question at Blue Water.

Before joining Blue Water in 2007, I worked as a naval architect, drawing and designing vessels. That background has been incredibly useful here. Understanding how ships and floating structures behave allows us to move things most people would consider impossible, he explains.

Today, Poul Henning works with some of the most technically demanding transport operations within renewables, offshore and heavy industry. His role is to ensure that each project is not only possible, but also safe, stable and compliant with international laws and best practice.

From shipbuilding to logistics solutions

Early in his career, Poul Henning learned to design vessels by calculating their shape, stability and structural strength.

“You learn to think in systems,” he says. “If you can design something that floats, you can also calculate how to move it.”

This mindset proved essential on one of his first major assignments for Blue Water – transporting a floating structure of more than 100 metres to a remote location in the Caspian Sea. To reach its final destination, the vessel needed to pass through a narrow strait. The only feasible solution was to cut the structure into sections, reinforce each part so it could float independently, transport the pieces separately and reassemble them on site.

It was like building with Lego, except each piece weighed 3,000 tonnes. We came in late in the process, after the structure had already been built, which created additional challenges and required very close cooperation with shipyards and engineers, he recalls with a smile.

Not long after the project was completed, the same client returned – this time involving Blue Water early in the design phase.

That made all the difference. When we’re invited in early, we can influence the design so the transport itself becomes feasible. It made the second project easier, safer and more cost-effective.

Making carbon capture a reality

A more recent milestone project involved transporting liquid CO₂ for the pioneering Greensand carbon storage initiative in the North Sea. The assignment: safely move around 800 tonnes of liquified CO₂ per voyage under extreme temperature and pressure conditions across several territorial waters and then pump it 1800 metres below the seabed in the notoriously rough North Sea.

This project really pushed the boundaries of what is usually done. It wasn’t just about finding the right vessel and equipment. We had to navigate different legal frameworks, environmental regulations and safety requirements. CO₂ behaves differently depending on temperature and pressure, so we had to make sure the crew were protected, the vessel was stable, and that no leakage could occur, says Poul Henning.

Sensors were installed, risk assessments performed and new procedures developed to manage the material safely. The result was validated proof that CO₂ can be transported and stored offshore – opening the door for similar projects now underway.

Engineering, management and operations under one roof

Poul Henning was the first naval architect to join Blue Water. Today, the engineering department has grown to 14 specialists across key harbours worldwide, with teams in Denmark, the US, Brazil and Australia.

The demand for this expertise is rising, driven in part by the dramatic scale-up of offshore components. Wind blades that once measured 45 metres are now approaching 125 metres in length, and tower sections have doubled in size and weight. One of Blue Water’s biggest strengths, he explains, is having engineering, project management, port operations and technical specialists working closely together.

The demand is literally getting bigger, and we need to adapt with it. At Blue Water, we cover the entire chain. If we need a special lifting point, we have the people who know how to install it. If we need specific equipment, we either have it or know where to get it. And if someone somewhere in the organisation has solved a similar challenge before, we simply call them. Our greatest strength is how openly we share knowledge, says Poul Henning. 

A workplace for problem-solvers

When asked why he has stayed at Blue Water for so many years, Poul Henning’s answer is immediate:

The people and the problems we solve together. No two days are the same. We get to work with ideas that haven’t been tried before, and when we succeed, we make the impossible possible.

For naval architects, engineers and project managers, Blue Water offers a chance to work on complex and meaningful projects – where expertise, curiosity and teamwork truly make a difference. His advice to new engineers reflects the culture he values:

If you like puzzles, collaboration and real-world engineering challenges, you’ll feel at home here. Just be open, ask a lot of questions, and share what you learn. And don’t be afraid to speak up when something goes wrong. Observing and learning from others is how we grow. I’ve made plenty of mistakes myself, but I’m proud to say I’ve never made the same mistake twice.

Meet our expert

Name: Poul Henning Nielsen
Title: Senior Naval Architect
Area of expertise: Poul Henning works with some of the most technically demanding transport operations within renewables, offshore and heavy industry.

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