Showcasing Load Reduction Device (LRD) use on Floating Offshore Wind (FOW)

Over the past 12 months, Cierco has supported the LIFIL (Load Reduction Device Integration Feasibility In Llŷr) project alongside Dublin Offshore and Seascope Insurance to assess the commercial and technical feasibility of the Load Reduction Device for use in FOW mooring systems. This has the potential to significantly reduce mooring system cost and risk for offshore platforms. 

Alex Gauntt, Supply Chain Director said: “Cierco is committed to supporting the development of cost-reducing innovations in the industry. The LRD mooring system design demonstrated in LIFIL has been developed using site specific conditions and compared against representative baseline mooring systems. This has provided an independent technical and commercial validation for the technology and is an exciting step forward for the floating offshore wind industry.”  

To round off the project, the team held a supply chain day at the National Decommissioning Centre (NDC), joined by industry representatives from manufacturers, vessel operators, certification bodies, project developers and academia. The team also showcased the immersive real-time simulator experience used to design the de-risked transport installation methodology.  

The innovation has the potential to enable FOW mooring system to be procured almost entirely from UK suppliers, creating up to 6,000 UK jobs by 2050 and enabling FOW cost reduction to support Net Zero targets.