ABS AiP for COSCO WTIV designed by Friede and Goldman

American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has granted Approval in Principle (AIP) for a design for a wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) for China Ocean Shipping Company Limited (COSCO) by Friede and Goldman (F&G).

The design is suitable for all offshore wind markets and is capable of installing 15 MW and larger sized turbines. It can be equipped with F&G's BargeRack feeder barge system to support Jones Act-compliant operations in the U.S. that has previously received an AIP from ABS. The BargeRack system is removable to enable operations in any global market as a typical WTIV.

Greg Lennon, ABS Vice President, Head of Global Offshore Wind, said:

"This is a versatile system design capable of navigating port constraints and supporting offshore wind markets all over the world. It is great to see experienced designers like F&G bringing creative technical solutions as we embrace this global challenge. ABS is pleased to be able to add this project to the list of advanced new vessel developments our global team is supporting and that it will make another important contribution to the future of the offshore wind industry."

Dr. Yang Sun, Friede and Goldman Vice President, Asia Market, said:

"F&G and COSCO have a successful history of collaboration, and this latest effort brings an experienced WTIV builder in COSCO and a seasoned jack-up designer in F&G together to maximize vessel capabilities catered to current and future market demands and trends."

The design is just the latest advanced offshore wind vessel to be supported by ABS, with a subsea rock installation vessel to be built to ABS Class and Charybdis, the first Jones Act-compliant WTIV now under construction to ABS Class. The first U.S.-flagged Jones Act offshore wind farm service operation vessel (SOV) ever ordered will also be built to ABS Class. These vessels will join the first ABS-classed crew transfer vessel (CTV) in the U.S., Windserve Odyssey.