Akselos and the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to accelerate innovation in floating offshore wind energy. This collaboration seeks to enhance the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and structural integrity of floating wind projects, both in the United States and globally.
The partnership combines ABS's expertise in floating wind certification and classification with Akselos' advanced structural risk mitigation and optimization technology. Together, they will focus on the design phase of floating offshore wind projects, a critical step in ensuring operational safety and efficiency.
The alliance aligns with the U.S. Department of Energy's Floating Offshore Wind Energy Shot initiative, which aims to reduce the cost of floating wind energy by over 70%, targeting $45 per megawatt-hour by 2035 for deep-water installations.
Guillaume Lechaton, Akselos' director of wind and new energies, emphasized that this partnership will create a framework for “reliable, robust, and cost-efficient solutions,” enhancing the scalability of floating wind technology. Rob Langford, ABS's global vice president for offshore wind, highlighted that the collaboration reinforces ABS's commitment to supporting renewable energy infrastructure and advancing offshore wind energy.
This strategic partnership underscores the industry's commitment to tackling the unique challenges of floating offshore wind while driving the transition to clean, renewable energy sources.