AiP for floating offshore wind concept for Japanese waters

ClassNK has issued approval in principle (AiP) for a floating offshore wind turbine system design to Tohoku Electric Power and BW Ideol.

It features a concrete barge-type floating substructure that can accommodate a 15-MW wind turbine.

The partnership started feasibility studies in May 2022 with a view to commercialize a floating offshore wind power project in Japan’s offshore Kuji City, Iwate Prefecture.

The AiP recognizes the design’s potential suitability for environmental conditions at the site, based on BW Ideol's Damping Pool technology. The concrete floating substructure, expected to be suitable for mass production, is connected to the seafloor via a hybrid mooring system comprising synthetic fiber rope and steel catenary chains.

In May, DNV granted BW Ideol basic design certification for its standardized barge-type floating structure designed to accommodate 15-MW class wind turbines, said to confirm technical reliability based on international standards. 

The partnership now plans a feasibility study off the coast of Kuji City.