Japanese Consortium Launches Project to Mass-Produce Floating Wind Foundations

“K” Line Wind Service, Japan Marine United Corporation, Nihon Shipyard, and Toa Corporation have established a consortium to work on a project focused on mass production of floating wind foundations and cost reduction of floating wind installation.

The consortium sys it aims to develop a mass production method and cost reduction of floating wind foundations, mooring/anchoring systems, installation at sea in every aspect of Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Installation (EPCI).

Within the consortium, Japan Marine United Corporation (JMU) is in charge of the development/manufacturing of floating foundation and EPCI of floating offshore wind projects. The scope for the company includes optimisation of floating foundations and their mass production, optimization of a hybrid mooring system as well as the development of a cost-competitive procedure in floating offshore wind installation (turbine assembly and floating foundation installation).

In July 2021, JMU received a Statement of Feasibility from DNV for its semi-submersible floater for wind turbines of a 12 MW capacity and more.

Nihon Shipyard will take on the engineering aspect of floating foundations and their mass production and cost-efficient installation, and developing offshore support vessels for offshore wind projects, while Toa Corporation will work on developing a cost-competitive wind turbine assembly procedure.

“K” Line Wind Service, a joint venture set up last year by Japanese shipping company Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (”K” Line) and its domestic subsidiary Kawasaki Kinkai Kisen Kaisha, is responsible for the development of a cost competitive floating foundation installation procedure.

“The experience of “K” Line group in Anchor Handling Tug Vessels in oil and gas industry can be expanded to floating offshore wind and we believe we can deliver the optimization and cost competitiveness in floating offshore wind installation”, the company said in a press release.