The partnership between BlueFloat Energy and Nadara have chosen mooring solutions group First Marine Solutions (FMS) to support its upcoming floating offshore wind developments.
FMS will provide engineering consultancy services for four of the partnership’s projects – Broadshore and Bellrock in the ScotWind programme and Sinclair and Scaraben from the INTOG round.
With a predicted combined capacity of 2.3GW, the projects represent opportunities for the Scottish supply chain.
The Global Underwater Hub (GUH) has previously said that the floating wind mooring and anchoring market could be worth £9 billion.
The trade body said that demand will require more than 9,000 anchors, 9,000 lengths of chain and 4,000 km of rope, along with 9,000 buoyancy units.
It also called on the UK to increase investments to service the growing global floating wind sector and establish the country as a global centre of excellence for mooring and anchoring systems.
FMS managing director Steven Brown said: “Since the inception of our renewable energy consultancy in 2020, we have been consistently developing the mooring and survey capabilities honed in the offshore oil and gas industry, in order to provide the offshore floating wind market with a comprehensive consultancy service designed to drive such landmark projects forward.”
He added: “We view this latest contract award as a significant addition to the proven track record we have been building in this field, both in the UK and overseas.”
Drawing upon the company’s engineering, design and marine capabilities, the work scope focuses on mooring design screening and preliminary optimisation of concepts.
FMS’s work will help inform the submission and conferment of the required offshore consents, with particular emphasis upon the environmental impact and technical feasibility of each development.
The company’s Glasgow-based renewable energy consultancy will manage and deliver the work with support from specialists at its Aberdeen headquarters.
Portfolio director for Scotland at BlueFloat Energy | Nadara Partnership David Robertson added: “Knowledge and skills transferred from the oil and gas industry will be key to advancing our floating wind ambitions in Scotland and we’re confident that FMS’s experience in both operational and conceptual designs will input greatly into our ScotWind and INTOG projects going forward.”
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