Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Invests in Dutch Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Tech

September 12, 2023, by Adnan Memija

Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has revealed that it will invest in Dutch floating wind technology developer TouchWind and will obtain a minority share in the company.

TouchWind is developing a floating wind turbine with a tilting, angled one-piece rotor. A small-scale prototype was installed in May at Fieldlab Green Economy Westvoorne in the Netherlands.

The prototype has a rotor diameter of 6 metres and will be tested at the location for the installation, mooring and anchoring, as well as for the ecological impact on the location at the lake.

With a financial investment, field testing of TouchWind’s tilting angled one-piece rotor floating wind turbine can be expanded as well as new research into positive wake effects, said the companies.

“Field testing with a 6m diameter rotor is in full preparation at the Oostvoorne lake in the Netherlands. With MOL as a shareholder and their investments we can speed up our testing programme, prove our technology and reduce time to market,” said Rikus van de Klippe, Founder and CEO of TouchWind.

Last year, the two companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the joint development of floating wind technology with a primary focus on the further development of TouchWind’s one–piece rotor floating wind turbine.

“We are pleased that we can continue the journey with TouchWind and have become a shareholder of the company as we see exciting potential in their technology,” said Ryota Hayashi, General Manager responsible for Wind Power Projects Units in MOL.