ABS has issued a statement of maturity to Aikido’s innovative floating wind platform design, the latest stage in new technology qualification.

As part of the process, ABS witnessed a successful upending demonstration of the Aikido One unit, a 1:4-scale floating wind platform. The design can accelerate deployment and reduce costs for the rapidly growing offshore wind industry.

The test exhibited the platform’s ability to quickly deploy from its collapsed transportation configuration into an upright, floating configuration. ABS granted approval in principle for the technology in 2022 and has worked closely with Aikido throughout the development of the platform.

“The offshore wind industry needs innovative technologies to meet production targets. ABS is proud to have supported the development of Aikido’s novel floating wind platform from the beginning,” said Rob Langford, ABS Vice President, Global Offshore Renewables.

The compact design of the Aikido platform allows the platform to be assembled more quickly in smaller port areas and transported using existing barges, increasing the supply of ports and vessels that can support the offshore wind industry. This could enable faster and cheaper development of floating offshore wind projects.

“Having a third-party validation of our design and test procedures from ABS has been crucial to derisking our technology for our customers, insurers and other partners. We hope to continue to work with ABS on future full-scale projects,” said Sam Kanner, CEO of Aikido Technologies.

As the leading provider of classification services for the maritime and offshore industries, ABS is uniquely positioned to support the safe application of innovative technologies as the global industry moves toward more sustainable practices.