Next step: DemoSATH floating wind project successfully completes offshore mooring installation

DemoSATH mooring, anchoring and quick connect solution is set for the 2MW turbine that will be tested later this year and which will be the first floating turbine connected to the Spanish grid. The floating offshore wind project aims to collect data and gain real-life knowledge from the construction procedure, operation, and maintenance of DemoSATH floating wind platform for a period of 2 years.

In early May, Maersk Supply Service completed the installation of six mooring lines (comprised by hybrid lines of chain and fibre rope) and six drag anchors with Maersk Mariner. The mobilisation and loading of the mooring lines elements and preparation of the vessel was done at Punta Sollana quay, in the port of Bilbao (Spain), where the onshore construction of the floater is currently underway. The 2MW turbine will be tested against real sea operating conditions in a harsh Atlantic environment later this year. The test field at BiMEP facilities are located 2 miles off the Biscay coast where the sea is 85 meters deep.

“The installation of the SATH mooring lines worked perfectly. In the future, we will use them in all our commercial projects that are currently in the planning stage. The operations have been a great success since the earliest stage of design and the execution has been outstanding”, commented Araceli Martínez, Chief of Engineering at Saitec Offshore Technologies.

“We as RWE see great potential for floating wind farms worldwide – especially to unlock opportunities in countries with deeper coastal waters. With DemoSATH we are gaining experience with an innovative concrete-based platform technology and are broadening our expertise in this growth market further,” said Chris Willow. Head of Floating Wind Development at RWE Renewables.