Mitsui’s new FPSO hull concept gets approval in principle

Japan’s Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding (MES) has obtained a Bureau Veritas approval in principle (AIP) for the new generation noah-FPSO Hull and associated design and construction methods.

Mitsui said on Thursday that the AIP by Bureau Veritas follows approval from the American Bureau of Shipping and that it provided assurance of the feasibility and reliability of the noah-FPSO Hull design.

The noah-FPSO Hull is a next generation floating production, storage, and offloading platform. The “noah” part in the name stands for “New Offshore Adapted Hull”.

The hallmark of the noah-FPSO Hull is that it allows a flexible approach to design and construction of the hull reflecting production requirements, rather than adjusting the production facilities to the hull’s design.

Mitsui said that the wide deck area of the noah-FPSO Hull allowed the installation of more complex and heavier topsides and that the design provided for flexibility in the event of design changes, as is common in FPSO projects.

Also, the standardized fore/aft modules and the parallel body module with adjustable length can be separately constructed at different shipyards, significantly expanding options for construction location, as well as scheduling based on dock availability.

The hull form consists of flat or 2D bending plates, which, Mitsui believes, could reduce construction costs while improving operability and availability against green water or slamming loading.

Along with applying the noah-FPSO Hull as a platform, Mitsui started a new business model for FPSO projects through the launching of the “noah-Alliance”.

This alliance enables any shipyard around the world to construct the noah-FPSO Hulls using Mitsui’s engineering services with a design and construction license, the company said.

The company added that it was now marketing the noah-FPSO Hull to achieve the common platform in expectation that the FPSO market will expand significantly.