Tugdock, an inventive company originating from Cornwall, has penned a significant Memorandum of Understanding with Salamander Offshore Wind Farm, demonstrating their joint commitment to innovating floating offshore wind energy in Scotland.
Functioning on a unique patented marine buoyancy method, Tugdock has enabled the construction and loading-out of hefty marine assemblies even in ports with inadequate water depth or limited space. Salamander Offshore Wind is a cooperative industry venture between Simply Blue Group, Ørsted, and Subsea7. They’re devoted to producing a floating wind farm off the coast of Peterhead, in North-East Scotland. Salamander, as part of Crown Estate Scotland’s Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas leasing round, has exclusively signed an agreement.
A Prosperous Partnership
Salamander has engaged with Tugdock to explore opportunities to work together on research and cutting-edge developments in floating wind energy technologies and related supply chains in Scotland.
Groundbreaking Technology
Tugdock’s technology employs a modular road transportable space frame, coupled with patented air lift bags that are filled and emptied using compressed air. This technology allows floating offshore wind turbine substructures to be fabricated or assembled, and turbines integrated even in ports with limited water depth or space.
Making Waves in the Industry
Tugdock is not merely providing a solution; they are presenting an option that is lighter, shallower, faster, and according to the company, more cost-efficient in contrast to their steel-hulled counterparts or floating docks.
Looking Forward
Shane Carr, the CEO of Tugdock, explains that Tugdock and Salamander plan to develop innovative knowledge and technologies to speed up the evolution of floating wind energy, which happens to be an industry currently experiencing rapid global growth. Carr expresses confidence that this partnership will allow for significant advances.
Tom Brown, Salamander’s Innovation and Interface Manager, is keen on exploring the potential of Tugdock’s groundbreaking technology. In tandem, Lucas Lowe-Houghton, Tugdock’s Director of Business Growth, centers on the pivotal role of floating offshore wind in realizing the UK’s net zero targets and highlights the paramount importance of collaborative efforts to meet the industry’s challenges and maximize its full potential.
This collaboration follows Tugdock’s recent partnerships with Sarens, a global heavyweight in crane rental and substantial lifting, and US-based Crowley, a supply chain solutions firm. These partnerships are primarily focused on unlocking the potential of floating offshore wind at various global locations, including the US West Coast.
