A UK-based consortium has revealed a new vessel concept that could reshape how floating wind farms are built, aiming to fill a major capability gap in offshore construction.
Led by Morek Engineering, the group has completed the feasibility phase for what it calls the Future Floating Offshore Wind Installation Vessel (FFIV). The initiative is part of the UK Department for Transport’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition Round 4, which supports projects helping the maritime sector reduce emissions. Other members of the team include Solis Marine Engineering, Tope Ocean, First Marine Solutions, and Celtic Sea Power.
A Targeted Solution, Not a Retrofit
Unlike many green vessel concepts that tweak existing designs, the FFIV is built from the ground up to support the floating wind sector. Bob Colclough, representing Morek, made it clear this isn’t a retrofit story. “We weren’t just swapping engines,” he said. “We looked at how to actually reduce carbon emissions from the beginning of the design process.”
The vessel targets a critical, yet underdeveloped, part of floating wind installation: mooring. The FFIV is engineered to manage all three of the main anchor types used in floating turbines—drag embedment, suction piles, and driven piles. Its purpose? Efficiently install mooring lines after anchor placement, and quickly connect them to towed-in floating foundations. That’s where traditional vessels lose time and rack up costs.
New Hull, New Fuel, New Capabilities
It’s not just about what the FFIV can do, but how it does it. The hull is hydrodynamically optimised, reducing drag and improving fuel efficiency. The vessel’s powertrain is built around methanol, a cleaner alternative to conventional marine fuels. Combined with azimuth thrusters and improved dynamic positioning systems, it promises lower emissions without compromising on station-keeping ability.
Below deck, there’s real estate dedicated to what matters most for this job: mooring lines. The FFIV includes a massive cable tank for synthetic ropes and large chain lockers—capacity features the current fleet simply can’t match. That translates into fewer supply runs and a better ability to support serialised installations.
Simon Hindley of Solis Marine Engineering highlighted that, “We’ve designed this vessel around the job, not the other way around.” He points out that the hull and propulsion system enable high-demand construction tasks using far less fossil fuel.
Addressing a Global Bottleneck
The vessel also tackles a growing problem: there just aren’t enough ships capable of handling floating wind installations. Ian Godfrey of Tope Ocean put it bluntly, stating, “The global fleet falls far short of what’s needed.” He described the FFIV as an answer to that shortfall, enabling scalable deployment of floating wind farms that are already on the books across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
Earlier this month, the design was shared with select maritime professionals at a Society of Maritime Industries event in London. The next step? Engineering refinement—particularly in rope handling systems, operational limits in challenging weather, and working through regulatory hurdles associated with methanol-fueled vessels.
The team aims to secure Approval in Principle from a major classification society by December 2025, marking a significant milestone in transforming the vessel from concept to construction.
