Korean Register grants AiP to Samsung Heavy Industries for 15MW floating wind substructure

Korean Register (KR) has awarded an Approval in Principle (AiP) to Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) for its newly developed “SnapWind Float,” a floating offshore wind substructure designed to support turbines of up to 15MW. The AiP was granted at the Gastech conference in Milan on September 9.

SHI’s “SnapWind Float” incorporates lightweight, modular elements intended to streamline manufacturing and installation. The structure is stabilized by at least three mooring lines fixed to the seabed and is designed to maintain stability even under inclined conditions. It can also be adapted to support different turbine capacities.

KR carried out a technical review of the design, assessing safety, structural integrity, and the mooring system against international standards and classification rules.

Hae-Ki Jang, Chief Technology Officer at SHI, said, “The SnapWind Float is a next-generation solution that combines SHI’s extensive EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) experience with innovative design. It will serve as an optimized, eco-friendly technology for large-scale offshore wind projects, and we will continue to strengthen our efforts in developing technologies that contribute to carbon neutrality.”

Lee Yongsok, Executive Vice President at KR, added, “Floating offshore wind at the 15MW level represents a new frontier for the industry. By granting this AiP, KR is helping accelerate the deployment of innovative substructures that will underpin the next wave of global offshore wind projects.”