Hyundai Engineering & Construction said on the 15th that on the 13th it signed a joint research agreement at Hyundai Steel's Dangjin Steelworks for "development of a proprietary floating offshore wind model and acquisition of Approval in Principle (AIP)."
Floating offshore wind is a method of installing power generation facilities by floating a buoyant structure on the sea. It can be used even in deep waters with depths of 50 meters or more. The company said it is drawing attention as a next-generation energy infrastructure with high power generation potential because it can greatly reduce site constraints for offshore wind while enabling the use of areas with better wind speed, wind volume, and wind direction conditions than fixed-bottom sites.
Through this agreement, the two companies will push to develop a hybrid floating structure (floater) that combines specialized steel and concrete. Hyundai Engineering & Construction will handle hybrid floater design and the development of modular fabrication and rapid construction technologies, while Hyundai Steel will be responsible for developing specialized steel for offshore wind and verifying performance. The modular floater with a hybrid structure jointly developed by the two companies has filed a joint patent in Korea for the related technology for the first time.
To cut manufacturing costs by 20% compared with existing steel floaters, the two companies plan to optimize the floater's structure and cross-section to reduce steel usage. They also aim to boost cost-effectiveness and productivity by applying a modular fabrication method while securing structural stability and durability.
Hyundai Engineering & Construction expects synergy within the group as its construction capabilities in marine civil engineering, ports, and offshore structures combine with Hyundai Steel's capability to develop specialized steels based on its steel product portfolio.
Through this collaboration, Hyundai Engineering & Construction plans to secure floater design capability, a core technology for floating offshore wind, and strengthen its base for winning global offshore wind projects. Based on basic design that includes floater concept design and performance analysis, it will derive an optimal design and seek to obtain AIP certification from international classification societies such as DNV in Norway going forward.
An official at Hyundai Engineering & Construction said, "In floating offshore wind projects, floater design technology is the core capability that determines project execution capacity," adding, "Through this joint research, we will secure proprietary technology and continue to strengthen our capabilities in global offshore wind EPC projects."