Colombia and the wider Latin American region are entering a new phase in the development of offshore wind, creating growing opportunities for technical collaboration, knowledge exchange and capacity building.
EAGE (European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers) and the Colombian Offshore Wind Energy Association (EEMa Colombia) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen scientific and technical cooperation between the international geoscience community and Colombia’s emerging offshore wind sector.
The agreement was signed on 2 March 2026 by Marcel van Loon, CEO of EAGE, and Margarita Nieves Zárate, PhD, Director of EEMa Colombia, at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Colombia.
The partnership comes at a significant moment for the Colombian offshore wind industry. The country has been one of the early movers in Latin America, developing a dedicated offshore wind roadmap with the World Bank that identified approximately 50 GW of potential developable capacity. The government subsequently established a framework for allocating temporary maritime occupation permits and launched its first competitive process for offshore wind areas.
More recently, Colombia has continued to build the foundations required for commercial development. In June 2026, the Ministry of Environment adopted, for the first time, specific terms of reference for the Environmental Impact Assessments required for offshore wind projects. This represents an important step in establishing a clearer pathway from project development and marine planning towards environmental licensing.
At the same time, the development of offshore wind is increasingly being considered as part of a broader industrial opportunity. Port infrastructure, marine services, engineering capabilities, supply chains and the transfer of technical knowledge will all play an important role in determining how the sector develops. The Colombian government is already assessing the readiness of ports including Cartagena and Barranquilla to support future offshore wind and related clean-energy activities.
A regional opportunity
The momentum is not limited to Colombia. Across Latin America, offshore wind is moving from a largely exploratory concept towards a more structured industry discussion, particularly in countries with strong wind resources, extensive coastlines, existing offshore engineering capabilities and growing demand for new sources of electricity.
Brazil represents the region’s largest potential market, while Colombia has emerged as one of the countries developing an early regulatory and institutional framework for offshore wind. Other markets are also beginning to assess their offshore wind potential and the opportunities associated with the emerging supply chain.
For geoscientists and engineers, this creates a new multidisciplinary field extending well beyond wind resource assessment. Offshore wind development requires integration of subsurface and seabed characterization, geohazards, geotechnical engineering, metocean studies, environmental assessment, marine spatial planning, offshore construction and infrastructure development.
These disciplines are particularly relevant in regions where offshore energy expertise has historically been concentrated in oil and gas. The transition to offshore wind therefore creates opportunities to transfer existing technical capabilities while developing new expertise adapted to renewable energy projects.
EAGE and EEMa Colombia
The new partnership between EAGE and EEMa Colombia aims to contribute to this emerging technical ecosystem through knowledge exchange, scientific cooperation and professional education.
The collaboration will include joint seminars, workshops, webinars and other technical activities, as well as opportunities for members of both organizations to access specialized education and training.
The agreement also reflects the increasingly interconnected nature of offshore energy development. As projects become larger and move into deeper and more technically challenging environments, collaboration between geoscience, engineering, energy and marine disciplines will become increasingly important.
Offshore Wind Latin America Forum
Building on this collaboration, EAGE has also announced the Offshore Wind Latin America Forum, to be held from 3–5 March 2027 in Cartagena, Colombia. The forum will provide a regional platform for developers, energy companies, governments, regulators, engineering firms, technology providers, researchers and other stakeholders to discuss the opportunities and challenges associated with the development of offshore wind across Latin America.
Cartagena provides a particularly relevant setting for this discussion. Colombia’s Caribbean coast is at the centre of the country’s offshore wind development strategy, while the city’s port, maritime and industrial capabilities provide an important connection between offshore energy development and the wider supply chain.
The forum will focus on the practical development of the sector, including technology, geoscience and engineering, project development, marine infrastructure, regulation, environmental considerations, supply chains and the transfer of capabilities from the established offshore energy industry.
As Latin America moves from assessing offshore wind potential towards creating the conditions for commercial projects, the development of technical capabilities and regional cooperation will be critical.
The EAGE–EEMa Colombia partnership and the Offshore Wind Latin America Forum are intended to support that transition, connecting international expertise with the rapidly developing offshore wind ecosystem in Colombia and across the region.
Interested to participate in the Offshore Wind Latin America Forum? Please visit the event website for more details.
Sources
1) https://eemacolombia.org/post/eema-colombia-eage-alianza-energia-eolica-marina
2) World Bank / Ministry of Mines and Energy of Colombia — Offshore Wind Roadmap for Colombia
Fuente para el potencial de 50 GW desarrollables y la estrategia de despliegue de offshore wind en Colombia.
Offshore Wind Roadmap for Colombia
3) Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia — Environmental Terms of Reference for Offshore Wind Projects, June 2026. Fuente para el avance regulatorio más reciente: Colombia adoptó por primera vez términos de referencia específicos para los Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) de proyectos offshore wind. Colombia adopts environmental terms for offshore wind projects – MinAmbiente
