Bassoe Technology, owned by CIMC Raffles , has introduced a new floating wind turbine foundation of a T-shaped design and an ability to carry a 15 MW offshore wind turbine. The design, called the T-Floater, has received Approval in Principle (AiP) from ABS.
With three columns and T-shaped pontoons to allow transport of multiple T-Floater hulls on a dry tow vessel, or in modules for in-water assembly, the design is intended to operate with a tow-out draft of eight metres with a turbine installed. This facilitates flexibility in the selection of a fabrication shipyard and assembly port, and enables the hull to then be transported to a quay close to the installation site to have the tower and turbine installed, according to Bassoe Technology.
“The ability to transport up to six completed 15 MW T-Floaters on a single dry tow vessel will allow for cost-efficient construction and transportation” , said Joakim Nilsson , Managing Director, Bassoe Technology. “Together with our parent company, CIMC Raffles, we will have the ability to deliver more than 50 T-Floaters per year but we will also, due to the in-water assembly possibility, be able to work together with local shipyards with limited width of dry-docks/slip-ways to meet local content requirements”.
The AiP from ABS verifies that the design is feasible for the intended application and, in principle, complies with the applicable requirements of the ABS Guide for Building and Classing Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Installations.
The design process of the T-Floater has followed the same rigorous process as for semi-submersibles for the oil and gas market, according to Bassoe Technology.
“Having experience designing oil & gas semi-submersibles to ABS approval, we appreciated the opportunity to expand our cooperation with ABS into floating wind”, said Joakim Nilsson .
When constructed, T-Floater units will qualify for the ABS Class notations A1, Offshore Wind Turbine (Floating), (S), Central North Sea, and FL(25).