The Future of Offshore Wind: ABS Approves Innovative Floating Platform Design

The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has recently given its stamp of approval to the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) documents for a groundbreaking deep water floating offshore wind platform developed by US-based ECO TLP, Inc. in collaboration with MOCEAN-Offshore BV of the Netherlands.

This approval signifies a major leap forward in the field of floating offshore wind energy technology, showcasing cutting-edge design features that promise to revolutionize the industry.

The innovative platform boasts slip-formed cylindrical concrete hulls and a hybrid spar tension-leg mooring system, offering a smaller environmental footprint compared to traditional floating platforms utilizing catenary mooring. Notably, the design is tailored to accommodate “XXL” wind turbines with capacities exceeding 15MW, making it compatible with the largest turbines currently available in the market.

ECO TLP envisions the platform operating effectively in water depths ranging from 200 to 3000 meters, highlighting its versatility and adaptability to various marine environments.

Rob Langford, ABS Vice President of Global Offshore Renewables, emphasizes the importance of floating offshore wind power in expanding renewable energy generation to deep waters, where fixed-bottom projects are not feasible. ABS is proud to collaborate with forward-thinking companies like ECO TLP Inc. that are pushing the boundaries of renewable energy technology.

The ABS approval covers non-site-specific FEED for different water depths and turbine sizes, streamlining the certification process for commercial projects and facilitating faster implementation. Nicole Johnson Murphy, CEO of ECO TLP Inc., underscores the platform’s economic and environmental benefits, emphasizing its ability to optimize turbine performance and reduce operational costs over its lifespan.

The project’s engineering prowess is a result of a collaborative effort involving MOCEAN-Offshore BV and Arup International Projects Ltd., providing expertise in marine, civil, and structural engineering to support ECO TLP’s innovative design.

With the FEED documents now greenlit, the design is set to progress towards commercialization for site-specific projects, paving the way for offshore wind expansion into deeper waters and unlocking new opportunities for renewable energy production.