First Subsea secured a contract to supply platform mooring connectors (PMCs) to Windplus for the 25MW WindFloat Atlantic Project, offshore northern Portugal.
The PMCs will be used to connect wind turbine generator platforms to mooring lines at a water depth of 85 – 100 meters.
The WindFloat Atlantic Project comprises three WindFloat 8MW WTG platforms that will be installed 20 km off the coast from Viana do Castelo. Each platform’s mooring system is made up of three catenary mooring lines, connected to drag embedded anchors.
First Subsea will supply nine platform mooring connectors (PMC), each with a 5500 kN MBL.
The platform mooring connector will allow the mooring lines to be pre-laid on the seabed, prior to the arrival of the WTG platforms.
With the platforms in position, the end of the mooring line will be picked up from the seabed and pulled into the PMC located on the platform’s hull structure. Once in place the connector is automatically engaged and ready for service.
“ The First Subsea platform mooring connector provides a quick and easy mooring connection with improved long-term fatigue benefits at the connection point with the hull, ” said Greg Campbell-Smith , sales director, First Subsea. “Moreover, the flexibility of the PMC in terms of its pre-lay installation and ability to withstand constantly varying loads and load angles, makes it the ideal choice for the WindFloat Atlantic Project.”