Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and its compatriot Fukada Salvage & Marine Works have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore collaboration on the transportation and installation vessels for floating offshore wind turbines.
Floating offshore wind turbines are normally assembled at a port and then towed to the installation site. After being towed to the site, the wind turbine position is maintained by a mooring system consisting of anchors and mooring lines.
This series of towing and mooring operations requires work vessels such as anchor-handling vessels.
MOL and Fukada Salvage & Marine Works aim to establish a joint ownership and operation system for new vessels suitable for transportation and installation of floating wind turbines, as well as a procurement framework for mooring systems.
The Japanese government aims to deploy 10 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030 and 30-45 GW by 2040, including floating wind, as part of its target to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
In March 2024, Japan passed an amendment to the “Act on Promoting the Utilization of Sea Areas” , expanding the area for setting up offshore wind to the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
At the end of last year, the government gave exclusive rights to the JERA-led consortium and BP, along with its consortium partners, to develop two offshore wind farms in Japan’s territorial waters.
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