In this Insight, first published in PLC, Natalie Wardle reflects on the FIDIC International Contract Users' Conference 2024 held in London in December and the new contracts and standard clauses that FIDIC is currently working on, including the carbon management guide and its collaborative contract.

An article about offshore wind projects and some of the unique issues specific to the delivery of this type of project that are not typically addressed by existing standard form contracts.

The FIDIC International Users’ Conference took place on the 28 and 29 November in London and celebrated 110 years of the organisation. However, the conference was very much focussed on looking forward, as opposed to dwelling on past glories and the theme of the conference was definitely green – and not only in the environmental sense of the word (though some of that too).

Last month, in what feels like a lifetime ago (when there was no third lockdown or even Tier 4, no new COVID variant and no Brexit deal), I attended the digital FIDIC International Contract Users’ Conference from the comfort of my home. Top marks for effort by the organisers and for the virtual networking possibilities available, but it was very different! The content was however, in my opinion, excellent (and the audio significantly better in my office than in a big auditorium) and there are some interesting developments to report.

How Covid-19 is impacting on one construction market - the wind industry - is analysed by Edward Stewart, Natalie Wardle, Colleen Galbraith and Kimberly Roberts, who focus on what reliefs may be available under FIDIC Silver Book 1999 edition.