Creating a dedicated forum for floating wind anchoring systems

As floating offshore wind moves closer to large-scale deployment, the systems that keep turbines securely anchored to the seabed are receiving increasing attention. Yet dedicated arenas for discussing the geotechnical challenges associated with anchor and mooring systems remain limited. OASIS was created to bring together experts working across offshore geotechnics, mooring systems and anchor design to exchange knowledge and identify future research and industry priorities.

The seminar was organized with the support of the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE), the French Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (CFMS), and the Norwegian Geotechnical Society (NGF).

From a gap at ISFOG to a new international seminar

The idea for OASIS emerged following the International Symposium on Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics (ISFOG) 2025, where participants identified a need for a dedicated event focusing specifically on anchoring systems for floating wind.

“During ISFOG, we felt there was a clear gap. Anchoring systems for floating wind deserve a dedicated forum. When Christelle Abadie (UGE/CFMS) visited NGI shortly afterward, we quickly agreed that organizing a seminar focused specifically on this topic would be valuable for both the research community and industry,” says Ana Page, Head of Section Computational Geomechanics at NGI.

What started as a conversation quickly developed into a joint initiative between NGI and UGE. The organizing team was later expanded to include experts associated with major floating wind research initiatives, such as the European Union-funded TAILWIND project.

Positioning expertise for the future of floating wind

Although only a limited number of floating wind farms have been installed globally, the sector is expected to grow significantly in the years ahead. According to Page, creating a dedicated meeting place for anchoring specialists is important both for advancing knowledge and strengthening future collaboration.

“One of our goals is to position ourselves as a leading environment for the design of anchoring systems. At the same time, OASIS allows us to showcase our research, learn from other groups and strengthen collaborations that can support future research projects and innovation,” says Page.

The one-day program featured four plenary sessions combining keynote presentations and panel discussions on topics ranging from offshore site investigations and mooring line dynamics to innovative anchor concepts and shared anchoring solutions.

Addressing key challenges in offshore anchoring

Participants explored challenges related to site characterization for floating wind projects, long-term mooring performance, sustainable anchor design, uncertainty in geotechnical models, and the pathway from research innovation to commercial deployment.

Many of these challenges are carried over from earlier experience in the offshore oil and gas industry. NGI has been involved with the design and installation of thousands of anchors worldwide.

“As the energy transition continues, we have to make sure that knowledge and technology from decades of experience with floating systems can be harnessed and updated for the nascent floating offshore wind industry, where scalability, efficiency and cost are important focus areas. It’s great to see that we are able to provide a meeting place where this overlap between energy sectors is fully leveraged so that we avoid working in silos,” says Thomas Langford, Director for Offshore energy at NGI.