Strainstall, part of James Fisher and Sons, is set to provide two load shackles for Sustainable Marine Energy’s (SME) floating tidal energy converter (TEC) platform.

Following installation of the PLAT-I tidal platform by SME, instrumentation and data gathering is being carried out as part of a project called ‘Survivability and Reliability of Floating Tidal Energy Converters’ (SURFTEC) in partnership with Swansea University.

PLAT-I is an integrated, surface floating tidal platform which hosts four Schottel SIT250 turbines.

Strainstall’s load shackles will be installed on the PLAT-I tidal energy platform to provide data supporting future development and to refine operational strategy.

The data gathered from Strainstall’s load shackles will be vital in demonstrating the reliability and sustainability of floating platform tidal turbine devices as a consistent and predictable source of renewable energy.

Simon Everett, managing director at Strainstall said;

“It is an exciting opportunity for Strainstall to be asked to supply load monitoring shackles to the SME PLAT-I project. Tidal energy is a developing industry and Strainstall’s products and marine experience make us perfectly suited to support tidal energy development companies.”