Wind-assisted towing on the cards for SBM Offshore’s Suriname-bound FPSO

July 15, 2026, by Melisa Cavcic

Netherlands-based SBM Offshore, a provider of the design, construction, installation, and operation of offshore floating facilities, has disclosed that wind-assisted kite traction towing is being contemplated for a floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel that will be deployed at a giant deepwater oil project in Block 58 off the coast of Suriname, which is operated by France’s energy giant TotalEnergies.

Visual SeaKite for FPSO GranMorgu; Source: SBM Offshore

SBM Offshore & Technip Energies Joint Venture (STS JV) and TotalEnergies EP Suriname, a subsidiary of TotalEnergies, have signed an agreement to evaluate wind-assisted kite traction towing for Suriname’s GranMorgu FPSO project with Beyond the Sea, a French company specialized in innovative kite traction solutions that provide an efficient and scalable alternative to traditional propulsion methods for all types of vessels.

This enables the partners to develop, install, test and operate a wind assisted towing system (WATS) on the FPSO, with the main objective of reducing towing duration and fuel consumption by implementing a kite traction system during the towing of the unit from the construction site in China to its final destination in Suriname, while also serving as a use case to validate this technology for large-scale vessels.

Laurent Le Touze, SBM Offshore’s Group Technology and Product Development Director, commented: ”Working together with TotalEnergies and Beyond the Sea, we are evaluating how wind-assisted propulsion can contribute to lower-carbon and more energy-efficient offshore logistics for the GranMorgu project, while also supporting the development of innovative maritime solutions with broader decarbonization potential. Decarbonization is one of our strategic priorities and we are very much looking forward to assessing new future opportunities in this field.”

The project, which will utilize Beyond the Sea’s SeaKite 2400 system that, depending on wind conditions, can provide automated traction throughout the journey, will be delivered through a phased R&D approach, covering technology development and qualification, costs and operational readiness as well as an intensive onshore test program before integration on the FPSO in China.

View on Offshore-energy.

Yves Parlier, Founder of Beyond the Sea, underlined: “I founded Beyond the Sea with the conviction that wind, and more specifically kite traction, can contribute to the decarbonization of maritime transport, by adapting to different types of vessels and uses. We are therefore delighted to contribute, alongside TotalEnergies and SBM Offshore, to the GranMorgu project, by working on the integration of a SeaKite 2400 on an FPSO.

“This project represents an important step for us in the development of our technology. In a particularly demanding offshore environment, our ambition is to meet this challenge with humility and determination, progressively demonstrating that kite traction propulsion can become a reliable, operational and effective solution. This collaboration will enable us to take a new step in the traction capacity of our systems and to measure their concrete impact in service of maritime decarbonization.”

SBM Offshore emphasizes that progression to subsequent stages will depend on meeting predefined technical and safety criteria. The other main objectives are to validate the kite’s wing launching and recovery system, while collecting data for the system sizing optimization using digital modelling.

Given its innovative nature and its application to a complex offshore development, the initiative represents a first-of-a-kind application of kite traction towing for an FPSO, requiring close coordination between all stakeholders and a very specific approach to risk management due to the nature of the vessel.

View on Offshore-energy.

Following the front-end engineering design (FEED) studies’ progress for Block 58’s two main oil discoveries, Sapakara South and Krabdagu, TotalEnergies sanctioned the GranMorgu development located 150 kilometers off the coast of Suriname. These fields hold recoverable reserves estimated at over 750 million barrels in water depths between 100 and 1,000 meters.

While the operator initially estimated the project’s investment at around $10.5 billion, with first oil slated for 2028, the total investment value could reach up to $12.2 billion. The FPSO GranMorgu, which is designed to accommodate future tie-back opportunities to extend its production plateau, will have a daily capacity of 220,000 barrels of oil.

Frédéric Beys, TotalEnergies’ GranMorgu Project Director, stated: “Improving energy efficiency remains a constant driver in our developments. Beyond the Sea offers a solution that fully aligns with this objective, and we are proud to support the challenge of scaling up the Seakite system during the towing phase of the GranMorgu project.

“We believe this initiative will demonstrate a significant step forward, paving the way for innovative wind-assisted propulsion solutions in maritime transport.”