ABS Backs Hanwha Ocean’s Standardized FPSO Design
September 9, 2026
The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has issued basic design review certification to Hanwha Ocean for a standardized floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) design targeting deepwater projects in South America and West Africa.
The certification covers Hanwha Ocean's front-end engineering design (FEED), following a review of core design documentation and technical standards for systems including the hull, topsides and mooring arrangement.
ABS also issued approval in principle for the FPSO, which incorporates design features intended to meet SUSTAIN-2 notation requirements, as well as a Statement of Fact covering Hanwha Ocean's Project Sustainability Execution Plan (PSEP).
The PSEP links sustainability requirements with engineering deliverables, key performance indicators, responsibilities and verification evidence as part of Hanwha Ocean's development of its Low Carbon Standard FPSO.
Hanwha Ocean has designed the FPSO as a repeatable platform intended for large-scale projects in South America and West Africa, with standardization aimed at improving project execution efficiency and scalability.
“We are proud to support Hanwha Ocean as they advance their FPSO standardization strategy for the South American and West African markets. These areas are focal points for global deepwater production activity, and ABS has the technical knowledge and regional presence to support clients at every stage of development in that market,” said Matt Tremblay, ABS Senior Vice President, Global Offshore Markets.
The certification follows Hanwha Ocean's completion of a separate pre-FEED for deepwater oil and gas fields in West Africa, which also received approval in principle from ABS.
The two programs form part of Hanwha Ocean's strategy to develop standardized FPSO designs for major deepwater production markets, with the approach aimed at shortening project execution schedules and improving cost competitiveness.
"The certification from ABS is a strong endorsement of Hanwha Ocean's FPSO engineering capabilities and technological excellence. Building on our differentiated standardized FPSO platform, we will further strengthen our competitiveness in the global FPSO market while delivering optimized solutions tailored to the unique characteristics and requirements of key offshore regions," added Philippe Levy, President of Hanwha Ocean EPU.
