Mooreast weighs in with deal to supply largest French floating offshore wind project

Singapore-based Mooreast Holdings has secured an order to supply its proprietary anchors to France’s biggest floating offshore wind energy project. Located off the coast of Port-La Nouvelle and Gruissan in Southern France, Eolmed is being developed by European independent energy company Qair, TotalEnergies, and floating technology supplier BW Ideol.

Mooreast – a total mooring solutions specialist and Asia’s only ultra-high power anchor manufacturer – said it had partnered with French installation contractor Bourbon Offshore to supply MA5S mooring drag anchors.

Huge emerging wind operation

The anchors weigh up to 35 tonnes each and command a holding power of up to 1,210 metric tonnes, underscoring “remarkable strength-to-weight ratio and efficiency”.

Bourbon Offshore will provide transport and installation services to the 30MW pre-commercial project, the biggest of the first three floating wind energy projects to be developed in France. The anchors will be used to moor three floating wind turbines and are expected to be delivered by October 2024.

 More success for Mooreast

Mooreast, which is establishing a manufacturing facility in Aberdeen, says it is leveraging 30-plus years of mooring and offshore marine expertise to target the floating offshore wind sector worldwide. The latest order marks its 15th offshore wind-related project since 2013 and, it says, provides further evidence of a strong track record in the emerging sector.

Sim Koon Lam, Mooreast Founder, Executive Director, CEO and Deputy Chairman, said the project win in France underscored growing confidence international players in the floating renewable industry have in the company.

Growth industry prospects

“The European floating wind energy sector is known for its rigorous standards and we are proud Mooreast is able to achieve market acceptance in this region,” said Lam. “Already, we are in active discussions with several project developers looking to tap into our expertise and capacity for subsea foundation production.”

As well as specialist anchors and equipment, Mooreast offers geotechnical and geophysical studies such as soil data analysis to determine project feasibility, and engineering design for mooring configuration for floating wind turbines.