The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and the Japanese engineering and technology company Japan Blue Energy (JB Energy) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate on strategic studies for a floating wind pilot project proposed for installation off Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Named Aura Sul Wind, the project will consist of a single floater with a capacity of 18 MW, according to information available on the website of Brazil’s Institute for the Environment and Natural Resources (IBAMA), which is conducting environmental licensing for the country’s offshore wind projects.
The wind turbine will be installed on JB Energy’s Raijin Float, a prestressed concrete semi-submersible floating foundation designed for domestic manufacturing in Brazil, according to information JB Energy shared earlier this year, when the company announced that IBAMA officially issued Terms of Reference for the environmental licensing of Aura Sul Wind. IBAMA’s list of offshore wind projects undergoing environmental licensing shows that the project entered the process in 2026.
Under the MoU with JB Energy, ABS will support emissions reduction for the Port of Rio Grande and a preliminary decommissioning strategy for JB Energy’s Raijin Float platform.
ABS will conduct a study to address emissions reduction for the Port of Rio Grande, including electrification, renewable integration, low-carbon logistics, clean fuel opportunities, and related infrastructure.
A study will also be undertaken to examine removal concepts, towing and transport, dismantling, port logistics, environmental and safety considerations, and recycling and reuse opportunities for the concrete-based Raijin Float platform.
"One of the most sustainable offshore wind structures is the one whose entire lifecycle has been considered from day one. Together with ABS, we are integrating port decarbonization, lifecycle thinking, and innovative decommissioning strategies into the Aura Sul Wind Project from its earliest stages. This collaboration will help establish new benchmarks for the sustainable development of floating offshore wind, not only in Brazil but for future projects worldwide", said Rodolfo Gonçalves, JB Energy’s CEO.