What question did this study set out to answer?

To address the logistical challenges and cost implications in floating offshore wind projects by developing a simulation framework.

May 16, 2026Open Access

Port-centered supply chain modeling of floating offshore wind turbines using deterministic discrete-event simulation with weather-dependent installation operations

Key Points

To address the logistical challenges and cost implications in floating offshore wind projects by developing a simulation framework.
Developed a discrete-event simulation framework using SimPy.
Applied the framework to a 1 GW floating wind farm off the west coast of Ireland.
Integrated onshore and offshore operations with weather-sensitive installation tasks.
Offshore weather identified as the primary cause of project delays.
Increasing installation vessels and wet-storage capacity significantly reduced production and project times.
Trade-offs noted between vessel utilization and project timing.

Abstract

Floating offshore wind projects face complex logistical and supply chain challenges, with floating substructures and associated turbine installation operations accounting for a substantial share of project CAPEX, making supply-chain and logistical management a critical concern in project planning. Delays and cost overruns often arise from resource limitations, site accessibility, port infrastructure, and weather conditions. This study develops a holistic discrete-event simulation (DES) framework using SimPy that integrates onshore and offshore operations, storage management, resource capacity constraints, and weather-sensitive installation tasks, enabling a system-level assessment of operational interactions and bottlenecks. The framework is applied to a realistic 1 GW floating wind farm off the west coast of Ireland, employing semi-submersible platforms with Moneypoint Port as the base port. Results show that offshore weather is the dominant source of project delays, while increasing installation vessels and wet-storage capacity can significantly reduce the production and project times, though trade-offs with vessel utilization remain. The framework provides a practical decision-support tool for evaluating system-level logistics, resource allocation, and weather impacts, complementing traditional engineering-focused analyses by offering insights into the coupled interactions between port operations, fabrication, and offshore installation, and supporting project planning, risk assessment, and operational optimization in floating offshore wind projects. • Integrated discrete-event simulation links onshore production, port logistics, and offshore installation. • Offshore weather is the main driver of delays in floating offshore wind projects. • Wet-storage capacity and vessel availability are key operational bottlenecks. • Design-of-experiments shows trade-offs between vessels, storage, and project timing. • Framework offers a decision-support tool to optimize floating offshore wind supply chains.

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