Anchored in experience: How permanent moorings are evolving for FPSOs
The offshore energy market is entering a new era of demand and complexity. Floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) activity is surging across South America, Africa and Asia, with schedules tightening and vessel availability remaining a critical constraint. According to Rystad Energy, over $70 billion in FPSO capex is forecast over the next decade – around 85% of it concentrated in these three regions. As investment ramps up and timelines compress, every day offshore counts. The reliability, efficiency and adaptability of permanent mooring solutions has never been more central to project success.
As EVP of Moorings and Anchors at Acteon, I see first-hand how innovative mooring solutions are shaping today’s FPSO projects – projects where mooring systems may not represent the most substantial part of the full field development capex, yet mooring failures or rectifications can lead to extremely costly consequences, sometimes reaching millions of dollars for a single line repair. That’s why getting the design and installation right from the start matters. From smart engineering to reliable offshore delivery, the value lies in avoiding expensive surprises and protecting your project’s schedule and budget.
Why vessel constraints make every anchor point count
As mooring systems take on greater strategic importance, it’s critical that they are installed efficiently and in a way that avoids impacting the overall critical path to FPSO start-up – but that’s increasingly complex in today’s constrained offshore construction vessel market. According to reporting by Riviera Maritime Media, a shortage of suitable support vessels, ageing fleets and limited shipyard capacity for repairs are already impacting offshore timelines across Southeast Asia and Australia. Many operators are mitigating this with long-term vessel charters, but even with supply secured, complex offshore campaigns still face intense schedule pressures and mobilisation challenges.
This is where closer collaboration with an experienced mooring contractor makes the difference. By aligning engineering design, vessel capability and operational knowledge early in the process, we can simplify mobilisation, ensure installation-ready equipment and keep schedules disciplined. In my experience, these integrated approaches are what unlocks maximum value from each campaign – all centred on the power of partnership rather than just vessel numbers alone.
Innovating permanent mooring solutions for efficiency
Building on that collaborative approach, we’re also seeing how advances in mooring system design and planning are helping operators deliver projects more efficiently. Traditional approaches often meant longer installation times and higher exposure offshore. Now, by combining deep knowledge of equipment and vessel-handling capabilities with mooring design expertise from the outset, operators can set smarter procurement specifications and plan installation around actual site and vessel constraints. This early alignment helps avoid bottlenecks and keeps offshore campaigns on schedule.
Permanent moorings have always been technically critical, but there’s a growing shift in mindset: operators want to move away from a “run-to-failure” approach. Investing upfront in robust design and well-planned installation helps enhance reliability, control vessel time and extend asset life – avoiding the significant costs and delays associated with unplanned mooring failures or retrofits.
SEPLA mooring systems are simplifying offshore mooring installation
One of the most significant innovations in moorings has been the adoption of suction embedded plate anchors (SEPLA mooring systems). These systems combine the efficiency of suction embedment with the strength of plate anchors, providing a cost-efficient solution for a wide range of offshore projects.
From a technical perspective, SEPLAs deliver the same high holding capacity as suction piles while being simpler and cheaper to fabricate and transport. Operationally, they simplify both temporary mooring and permanent mooring systems by reducing offshore vessel hours and minimising weather dependency. For operators, integrating SEPLAs into their marine mooring solutions translates into streamlined installation, reduced cost and greater confidence in project schedules – all while reducing overall risk exposure and project footprint.
Acting on our customers’ challenges
Offshore energy’s most complex challenges demand integrated solutions, not individual answers. . By combining deep domain expertise with innovative FPSO mooring design and installation, Acteon is enabling customers to overcome vessel constraints, achieve schedule certainty and deliver projects safely and efficiently.
Moorings and anchors may be out of sight beneath the surface, but their impact is felt across the entire FPSO project lifecycle. By driving innovation in offshore mooring solutions today, we are anchoring the foundations of tomorrow’s offshore energy.
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