On May 27th, 2022, the floating wind power platform, “Fuyao”, completed its final assembly at Guanggang Wharf in Maoming, Guangdong Province, China, commemorated with a ceremony to signify the strategic cooperation between CSSC and China Haizhuang.

The ceremony heralding the strategic cooperation between CSSC and China Haizhuang

The “Fuyao” floating wind power platform was developed for use in deep-sea waters with an average water depth of 65m, and is equipped with a CSSC 6.2MW Anti-Typhoon Type I Wind Turbine. The unit’s tower height reaches 78 meters, the central height of the hub is 96 meters and, with a 152 meter diameter of the wind whistle, makes it the largest floating wind turbine in China. The floating unit has a total length of 71.96 meters, depth of 33 meters, width of 80 meters, and weighs 3,351 tons.

Similar to the production of fixed offshore wind power foundations, the floating wind power platform foundation has the characteristics of large volume, heavy weight, complex internal structure, high manufacturing difficulty and strict quality inspection requirements. During the construction of the floating platform, the company harnessed the advanced shipbuilding technology of large state-owned enterprises and rich experience gained in the manufacturing of wind power products.

The floating wind power equipment – “Fuyao”

To fulfil all requirements, the company effectively utilised and combined its own advanced manufacturing technology and experience in the shipping and offshore industry while successfully integrating its shipbuilding capabilities to the field of floating wind power platform construction. At the time, and in order to effectively ensure the on-time delivery of the floating body, the company effectively took advantage of project management and divided the offshore floating wind power platform into multiple structural sections and built them in different bases in Zhongshan and Dongguan. Through the "building block method", the entire floating body was finished in advance of the delivery date, resulting in the construction schedule being cut in half.

During the construction phase, the company equipped several types of rolling machines, 4,000t of head press, gantry type and semi-gantry type walking external welding platforms capable of coiling a diameter of 10 meters and which could weld various types of pipe piles. To best control quality, the company established a professional on-site team to strictly follow and manage the project. Difficulties were discovered during this time, such as an irregular segmental shape, an inconsistent hoisting direction with the direction of the main beam of the gantry crane, heavy weight, and insufficient structural hoisting rigidity, etc. Also, for the first time, 16 hoisting cases with irregularly hoisting ears and single hooks were processed.

Construction phase of “Fuyao” floating wind power platform

In addition to being the largest floating power unit in China, “Fuyao” has many advantages, such as strong environmental adaptability, a simple floating structure, high reliability of the mooring and anchoring system and an integrated design.

In addition, more than 90% of the main components of “Fuyao” were completed in China. Its birth fills the gap of China's deep-sea floating wind power equipment and will further enhance China's international competitiveness in the field of wind power and marine engineering equipment.