Lancaster-based First Subsea Ltd, the world’s leading developer and supplier of ball and taper-based connector technology, has won a contract (from Spain’s Cobra Group) to provide platform mooring connectors (PMCs) for the Kincardine Offshore Wind Farm near Aberdeen — the world’s largest floating offshore wind-farm pilot project.

Developed by First Subsea specifically to address the shortfall in mooring technology in the floating offshore wind market, the PMCs will be used to connect the semi-submersible platform to mooring lines in water up to 143m deep.

They will allow the mooring lines to be pre-laid on the sea-bed, before the arrival of the wind turbines.

The PMC technology eliminates the need for mooring hardware such as fairleads, sheaves, chain tensioners and chain lockers.

It also allows the hook-up installation to be performed by smaller offshore vessels, which reduces the project costs.

Sales and business development director Greg Campbell-Smith, said: “As a UK company, First Subsea is proud to be supplying platform mooring connectors for the Kincardine Floating Offshore Wind Farm.

“We are pleased to be part of this project, which is at the forefront of the UK’s technology and innovation plans to de-carbonise our energy supply.”

The floating wind farm is a 50MW pilot project 15km off the coast, south of Aberdeen.

It began generating renewable power in September last year with the installation of the first turbine, and the project will be completed next year with the installation and commissioning of another five 9.5MW turbines, each installed on a floating sub-structure.