KWS, Acteon Sign Floating Offshore Wind MoU in Japan

August 26, 2024, by Adnan Memija

“K” Line Wind Service (KWS), a subsidiary of the “K” Line Group, and UK-headquartered Acteon have signed a non-exclusive memorandum of understanding (MoU) outlining how they will use each other’s skills and services to support floating offshore wind in Japan, including demonstration and commercial projects.

InterMoor, Acteon’s moorings and anchors brand, will provide comprehensive mooring, transportation and installation engineering support to KWS for the desktop study of a commercial project and to support the offshore installation of the demo project.

Acteon provides mooring solutions for all floating assets, from design and engineering to decommissioning. These include anchor and mooring system construction; floating infrastructure positioning and hooking up; mooring installation and inspection; maintenance, repair and replacement services; and late-life disposal services.

KWS has been engaged in the field of floating offshore wind. In Japan’s Floating Offshore Wind Research and Development programme, NEDO Green Innovation Fund Phase 1, KWS conducted research for efficient mooring methods for large-scale floating offshore wind farms.

For the actual towing and mooring of floating assets for demonstration and commercial projects, KWS said it aims to provide safer and more efficient transportation and installation services with InterMoor’s engineering support.

“Acteon is an ideal collaboration partner. They have a proven history of fixed and floating wind innovation. Combined with the “K” LINE Group’s expertise in operating Offshore Support Vessels, we will help to drive innovation and sustainability in floating offshore wind energy in Japan”, said Teruki Kuramoto, KWS president.

In June, two consortia were selected under the Green Innovation Fund (GIF), established by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and administered by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), to develop demonstration floating offshore wind projects.

The first consortium is led by Marubeni Offshore Wind Development (MOWD) and other local partners, including SSE Pacifico, which is 80 per cent owned by SSE.

Located off the southern coast of Akita Prefecture in the north of Honshu, Japan’s main island, the Southern Akita Floating Offshore Wind Demonstration Project Aimed at Overseas Expansion via Cost Reductions would be developed in water depths of up to 400 metres, making it one of the deepest offshore development sites in the world.

The consortium plans to develop two circa 15 MW demonstrator offshore wind turbines to be deployed with semi-submersible floating foundations.

The second consortium comprises C-Tech Corporation, Hitachi Zosen Corporation, Kajima Corporation, Hokutaku, and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines.

The Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Demonstration Project off the coast of Aichi Prefecture will comprise one wind turbine with a capacity of over 15 MW on a semi-submersible foundation off the coast of Tahara City and Toyohashi City.