The contractors building Suriname’s GranMorgu floating production, storage and offloading vessel plan to test a wind-assisted kite system during its journey from China.
SBM Offshore announced on July 15 that the SBM Offshore and Technip Energies joint venture, known as STS JV, and TotalEnergies EP Suriname signed an agreement with French technology company Beyond the Sea. The parties will develop, install, test, and operate a Wind Assisted Towing System on the GranMorgu FPSO.
The system is intended to shorten the towing period and reduce fuel consumption by supplementing the vessels used to transport the FPSO from its construction site in China to Suriname.
The initiative will use Beyond the Sea’s SeaKite 2400 system. The automated kite can provide additional traction during the voyage when wind conditions are suitable.
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SBM Offshore described the project as the first application of kite-assisted towing for an FPSO. The trial will also determine whether the technology can be deployed on other large vessels.
“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,” SBM Offshore Group Technology and Product Development Director Laurent Le Touze stated.
“Decarbonization is one of our strategic priorities and we are very much looking forward to assessing new future opportunities in this field,” he added.
The work will be completed through a phased research and development program. It will cover technology development and qualification, cost assessments, and operational readiness.
An intensive onshore testing program will also be completed before the system is integrated with the FPSO in China. Each subsequent phase will depend on the technology meeting predetermined technical and safety requirements.
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The partners will assess the kite’s wing launching and recovery system. They will also collect data to optimize the size and configuration of the equipment through digital modeling.
“Improving energy efficiency remains a constant driver in our developments,” TotalEnergies GranMorgu Project Director Frédéric Beys stated. “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,” Beys added.
The US$10.5 billion GranMorgu development will produce oil from the Sapakara and Krabdagu fields in Block 58, about 150 kilometers offshore Suriname. The FPSO will have a production capacity of 220,000 barrels per day, with first oil targeted for 2028.
The vessel will be all-electric and designed to operate without routine flaring. Associated gas will be reinjected into the reservoirs, while permanent sensors will be used to detect and monitor methane emissions.
