ABS and JB Energy Partner to Study Floating Offshore Wind in Brazil

en.Wedoany.com Reported - The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and Japanese engineering and technology company JB Energy have entered into a collaboration to jointly conduct research and provide technical support for the proposed Aura Sul floating offshore wind pilot project in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

The collaboration is being carried out under a memorandum of understanding (MoU), with the research focusing on two areas that are increasingly critical to the development of floating offshore wind: reducing emissions from supporting port infrastructure and planning for the end-of-life disposal of floating wind assets.

The port-side research is being led by ABS, focusing on decarbonization opportunities at the Port of Rio Grande. The port is expected to play a supporting role during the development and operation phases of the Aura Sul project, and the research will examine options including port electrification, renewable energy integration, low-carbon logistics, clean fuels and supporting infrastructure.

The decommissioning research is focused on the Raijin Float platform developed by JB Energy. The platform is a concrete-based semi-submersible floating foundation, and the research will assess its end-of-life disposal pathways, covering removal options, towing and transportation, dismantling processes, port logistics, environmental and safety considerations, and recycling and reuse opportunities.

Rob Langford, ABS Vice President of Global Offshore Markets, said that the development of floating offshore wind projects depends from the outset on the supporting infrastructure of the region and clear lifecycle planning. He said the collaboration with JB Energy will help advance research into safe, sustainable and economically viable offshore wind development in Brazil.

Rodolfo Gonçalves, Chief Executive Officer of JB Energy, said that the most sustainable offshore wind structures are those designed with their full lifecycle in mind from the very beginning. He said that through the collaboration with ABS, the two parties are integrating port decarbonization, lifecycle management and decommissioning strategies into the Aura Sul project from its earliest stages, a positioning that will provide a reference for sustainable development of floating offshore wind projects in Brazil and worldwide.