Floating Offshore Wind Fabrication
Floating offshore wind moves the industry into water too deep for fixed foundations, and into a structure that behaves like a vessel rather than a tower. Serial production is the whole economic argument — which makes repeatable fabrication quality, not one-off heroics, the thing to buy.
Meritus sources floating platform structures and mooring components from Chinese yards, with inspection designed around repeatability across a series rather than acceptance of a single unit.
Scope we cover
Semi-submersible floater hulls, columns and pontoons; spar and barge-type floater structures; tower interface and transition structures; mooring components including chain, connectors, fairleads and padeyes; anchor structures including drag-embedment, suction and driven pile types; ballast systems and internal outfitting.
Serial production quality
For a series, the risk is drift — unit five quietly differing from unit one. We compare dimensional and weld records across units rather than assessing each in isolation, so a slow deviation in a jig, a procedure or a crew shows up as a trend while it is still correctable.
Weight, stability and mooring
Floater weight and centre of gravity feed directly into stability and mooring design, so weighing results are a design input rather than a record. We witness weighing and reconcile against the design basis, and verify mooring component certification and proof-load records against the mooring analysis. Every order runs through the same quality chain: shop pre-qualification, material traceability against mill certificates, in-process and final inspection, and a documentation pack released before shipment.
Failure modes we inspect for
Quality drift across a series — unit five differing from unit one because a jig moved or a crew changed. Weighing performed without temporary steel and preservation accounted for. Mooring component proof-load certificates covering a batch that does not include the delivered items. And watertight compartment testing performed before final penetrations were made.
How an order runs
Enquiry and specification review; shop shortlisting against the actual scope rather than a general vendor list; quotation with the inspection plan priced in, not added later; kick-off with agreed hold and witness points; in-process inspection at those points; final inspection, document pack release and shipment; arrival support if anything is queried. For series production we compare records across units rather than assessing each in isolation, so drift is caught as a trend rather than as a failure.
Frequently asked questions
Why does floating wind need a different fabrication approach?
Because the economic case rests on serial production. The objective is repeatable quality across many units, not an exceptional single unit, so the controls are built around detecting drift.
Which floater types does this cover?
Semi-submersible hulls with columns and pontoons, spar structures, and barge-type floaters, plus tower interface and transition structures.
What mooring scope is included?
Chain, connectors, fairleads and padeyes, and anchor structures including drag-embedment, suction and driven pile types, with certification and proof-load records verified against the mooring analysis.
Why is weighing treated as a design input?
Because floater weight and centre of gravity feed directly into stability and mooring design. A weighing result that is treated as a record rather than a verification can invalidate the analysis.