A consortium based in South West England, led by Morek Engineering, has unveiled a new vessel design for the Floating Offshore Wind (FLOW) market. The group has completed the first feasibility stage of the project. Partners in the consortium include naval architects Solis Marine Engineering, innovation expert Tope Ocean, marine operations firm First Marine Solutions, and renewable energy company Celtic Sea Power.
Bob Colclough, managing director of Morek Engineering, said the team combined deep market knowledge with offshore expertise. He added that they focused on low-emission fuel systems from the start. “Our aim was not just to retrofit existing vessels with greener engines,” Colclough explained. “We wanted to find the best ways to reduce carbon emissions during the construction of future floating wind farms. We believe this approach will appeal to many stakeholders in the offshore wind industry.”
The project is part of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition Round 4 (CMDC4). This program is funded by the UK Department for Transport and run by Innovate UK. CMDC4 is a part of the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions initiative. The initiative has a budget of £206 million and aims to develop technologies to decarbonise the UK’s domestic maritime sector.
The new vessel design, called the Future FLOW Installation Vessel (FFIV), uses low-carbon fuels and has a fuel-efficient hull. It also offers expanded mooring capacity. These features are expected to save both time and costs compared to vessels currently in use.
The FFIV focuses on a part of the floating wind installation process that has not been fully optimised yet. It is designed to work with all three main types of anchors used for floating wind turbines. These include drag embedment anchors, which require strong anchor-handling vessels; suction piles; and driven piles, both of which need large subsea cranes for installation. The FFIV will install mooring lines onto these anchors, allowing fast connection to floating turbine foundations that are towed offshore.
Simon Hindley, managing director of Solis Marine Engineering, said, “We have redesigned the mooring installation process. The vessel combines an energy-efficient hull with a low-emission powertrain. This allows us to handle tough construction tasks without relying on traditional fossil fuel-powered ships. This improves efficiency in offshore construction.”
The FFIV design maximises mooring line capacity while reducing running costs. It uses azimuth thrusters and has a hull designed to reduce resistance, improving station-keeping and dynamic positioning. The vessel runs on methanol, a cleaner alternative fuel. To handle large amounts of mooring rope, the FFIV includes a big below-deck cable tank for synthetic ropes and large chain lockers to store the long chains needed in the floating wind sector.
Ian Godfrey, managing director of Tope Ocean, added, “The current global fleet is not enough for mass installation of floating turbines and infrastructure. This new concept is exactly the kind of technology innovation the floating offshore wind sector needs. It will help deliver the many projects planned worldwide and support clean energy goals.”
The consortium recently presented the FFIV concept at a Society of Maritime Industries event in London. They are now moving on to the next design phase. This stage will focus on equipment for handling large amounts of synthetic rope, analyzing weather limits, and addressing regulatory and design challenges related to methanol propulsion. The goal is to secure an ‘Approval in Principle’ from a major ship classification society by December 2025.
