Encomara’s Floating Wind Installation Technology Gets ABS Design Approval

Encomara’s floating wind installation technology, Squid, has received Product Design Assessment (PDA) certification from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).

The PDA follows an Approval in Principle (AiP) granted by ABS in November 2025 and moves the system a step closer to commercial deployment, according to Encomara, as it advances the technology along its qualification pathway towards Technology Readiness Level assessment and market adoption.

The technology is developed by Encomara and manufactured by Aurora Energy Services (AES), which acquired the Aberdeen-based company in 2025.

Squid integrates pre-installed mooring lines and electrical connections into a single subsea unit, enabling floating wind turbines to be connected using a “plug-and-play” approach.

According to Encomara, the technology allows all subsea infrastructure to be installed ahead of turbine arrival, reducing installation complexity and reliance on favourable weather windows compared to conventional methods.

Modelling studies supported by Scottish Enterprise and industry developers indicate Squid could cut installation times by up to 50 per cent and deliver savings of up to GBP 1 billion (around EUR 1.2 billion) per gigawatt of floating wind capacity.

“The Squid system allows pre-installation of moorings and cables followed by rapid hook-up of the FOWT, thus reducing risk and potentially doubling the number of turbines that can be installed in a typical season”, said Ian Donald, Managing Director of Encomara.

The next phase of testing will include onshore demonstrations at AES’s Huntly facility in July, followed by inshore wet testing and customer demonstrations at Ardersier in August.

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