ClassNK approves K Line Wind Service’s floating offshore windfarm support vessel concept

K Line Wind Service has been granted approval in principle by ClassNK for the design concept of a multi-functional floating offshore windfarm support vessel (MFSV).

K Line Wind Service developed the concept together with Japan Marine United Corporation (Japan Marine United) and Nihon Shipyard. To create the concept, the partners studied the most effective mooring method for the installation of floating offshore wind turbines and the most suitable vessel design for such mooring work. In particular, they considered the vessel’s anchor, mooring chain and fiber rope.

As a result, the partners say that this MSFV has been designed to perform whole mooring works efficiently for floating offshore wind turbine installation. It can transport a mooring system, deploy a mooring system on the seabed and perform anchor tensioning. It is also designed to provide various vessel solutions in each phase of offshore wind projects, such as survey, transportation, construction, and operation and maintenance. (A patent application is currently underway for the multifunctional concept of MFSV.)

The development of this design concept has been subsidized by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) as a part of the Green Innovation Fund Project ‘Technology development project for basic manufacturing and installation cost reduction for floating wind turbines’.

According to K Line, the development of floating offshore wind is expected to play a key role in the achievement of carbon neutrality by 2050, especially in Japan where there are limited shallow water areas to develop bottom-fixed offshore wind turbines.

Read more of the latest vessel design updates from the electric and hybrid marine technology industry, here.