Technology Development of Floating Systems for Sustainable, Safe, and Economical Ocean Utilization

Torgeir Moan; Shixiao Fu; Huajun Li; John Niedzwecki

doi:10.1016/j.eng.2026.06.008

Engineering ›› :202606008 DOI: 10.1016/j.eng.2026.06.008

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Technology Development of Floating Systems for Sustainable, Safe, and Economical Ocean Utilization

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Abstract

The ocean offers numerous opportunities to benefit society, including the harvesting of energy, food, and minerals, as well as the use of floating structures for transportation infrastructure. This study develops a framework for the design and development of floating systems, based on offshore oil and gas production practices worldwide, while incorporating differences in functional requirements, consequences of failure, and economic scale across sectors. The study provides a foundation for future technological advancement by defining design requirements for floating systems that ensure safe, sustainable, and economical ocean use, guided by goal-oriented design, probabilistic approaches, and first principles methods. Projected estimates of energy resources, food, land use, and raw material requirements by 2050 are briefly summarized to provide context, with a focus on stationary floating structures and exclusion of transport vessels. Key principles and methods of structural integrity management based on probabilistic risk and reliability approaches, are outlined. Moreover, the need for improved productivity based on robotized series production and more focus on sustainability in emerging sectors, is highlighted. Furthermore, continued research and development is required to improve design frameworks and support innovation, notably via the core ocean engineering disciplines and the use of enabling technologies such as digitalization and sensor systems. Moreover, research is needed to establish sustainability criteria and methods that can form the basis for technological developments with minimum use of resources and maximum reuse of resources.

Keywords

Floating structures / Ocean engineering / Serviceability / Safety / Sustainability / Economy

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Torgeir Moan, Shixiao Fu, Huajun Li, John Niedzwecki. Technology Development of Floating Systems for Sustainable, Safe, and Economical Ocean Utilization. Engineering 202606008 DOI:10.1016/j.eng.2026.06.008

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