South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean has secured an Approval in Principle (AIP) from DNV for the preliminary front-end engineering design (Pre-FEED) of its floating offshore wind turbine platform.
The floating platform model awarded the AIP is Hanwha Ocean’s proprietary WindHive 15-H3.
It is capable of supporting 15 MW offshore wind turbines, with a rotor diameter of 240 meters, and features three hexagonal columns.
In 2023, Hanwha Ocean introduced its WindHive brand as part of its floating offshore wind farm solutions and filed for trademark rights with the Korean Intellectual Property Office.
Its design optimizes the platform’s structural stability and weight by considering turbine load distribution. Furthermore, the hexagonal configuration simplifies column interconnections, according to Hanwha Ocean.
With this approval, Hanwha Ocean has broadened its offshore wind solutions portfolio by combining the floating wind technology with its experience in constructing Wind Turbine Installation Vessels (WTIVs).
To remind, the company has secured contracts for four WTIVs - the highest number among Korean shipbuilders.