Tugdock has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Salamander floating offshore wind farm. This collaboration seeks to foster innovation and research endeavors in the dynamic field of floating wind energy.
Salamander Offshore Wind, a joint venture comprising Simply Blue Group, Orsted, and Subsea7, has initiated discussions with Tugdock to explore collaborative opportunities in research and innovation. Their focus lies on the advancement of technologies and supply chains crucial to the flourishing floating wind energy sector in Scotland.
Situated offshore from Peterhead in North-East Scotland, Salamander Offshore Wind has solidified its commitment to innovation by entering into an exclusivity agreement as part of Crown Estate Scotland's Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) leasing round.
Tugdock, a rapidly growing company hailing from Cornwall, UK, is at the forefront of this partnership. Their pioneering technology revolves around a modular, road-transportable space frame, featuring patented air lift bags that can be filled and vented using compressed air.
By ingeniously configuring these air lift bags within a space frame arrangement and deck setup, Tugdock's product serves multiple functions, including acting as additional buoyancy modules or submersible platforms.
This innovative technology facilitates the construction and assembly of floating offshore wind turbine substructures, as well as the integration of turbines in ports with water depth or spatial constraints. It presents a lighter, shallow-drafted, quicker, and cost-effective alternative to conventional steel-hulled barges or floating docks.
Shane Carr, Chief Executive of Tugdock, expressed the shared goals of this collaborative venture, stating, “The objectives of this exciting collaboration are for Salamander Offshore Wind and Tugdock to jointly develop innovative knowledge and technologies to accelerate the development of floating wind energy.” He emphasized the rapid evolution of the industry on a global scale and the optimism surrounding this forward-looking collaboration.
Tom Brown, the Innovation and Interface Manager of Salamander Offshore Wind, echoed the sentiment, affirming, “Tugdock is a highly innovative young company, and we are looking forward to working closely with them to explore the applications of its technology.”
Notably, Tugdock has also solidified partnerships with industry leaders, including crane rental and heavy lifting company Sarens and Crowley, a US-based supply chain solutions provider, as they venture into exploring floating offshore wind opportunities, particularly along the US West Coast.
This strategic collaboration between Tugdock and Salamander Offshore Wind is poised to inject fresh momentum into the floating offshore wind energy sector in Scotland, paving the way for groundbreaking advancements in technology and infrastructure.
