MacGregor has expanded its offshore technology portfolio with a certified floating-to-floating personnel transfer capability for its Horizon gangway and a new bow transfer system designed for direct ship-to-well transfer of LCO2.
The Horizon gangway has received DNV certification under DNV-ST-0358 for floating-to-floating personnel transfers following a successful sea acceptance test. The certification enables motion-compensated connections between two vessels moving independently, allowing personnel to transfer between floating assets without a fixed landing point.
The capability is designed for applications including FPSOs, floating rigs, floating wind arrays and offshore service fleets. It can allow crew changes and service operations to be carried out at sea rather than being scheduled around port calls.
The system uses a purpose-designed flap at the gangway tip instead of the conventional docking head used for fixed structures. LiDAR-based relative-motion tracking provides real-time input to the gangway's motion-compensation system to maintain the connection as both vessels move.
Floating-to-floating capability is an extension of MacGregor's existing Horizon gangway family and can be retrofitted or upgraded on units already in operation.
Separately, MacGregor has developed a Liquid Carbon Dioxide (LCO2) Bow Transfer System (BTS) designed to enable direct ship-to-well and ship-to-rig transfer of LCO2 between carriers and offshore injection facilities.
The system is intended to connect capture plants directly with offshore injection units, potentially removing the need for intermediate onshore storage and conditioning facilities.
The BTS builds on MacGregor's Bow Loading System technology, which has been used in the oil and gas sector since the 1970s. The company says about 79% of the new system is based on field-proven technology, with the remainder comprising modifications and newly engineered components for LCO2 handling.
Seal materials have been tested with SINTEF under rapid gas decompression and LCO2 conditions. The system is designed to maintain integrity through repeated pressure cycles and temperatures as low as minus 57°C, while supporting operations in sea states with wave heights of five to six meters and water depths of up to 150 meters.
MacGregor's LCO2 transfer hardware is designed as the basis for four system architectures covering low- and medium-pressure operations at 30-60 bar and high-pressure operations at 300 bar, including direct reservoir injection through seabed swivels or disconnectable turrets.
MacGregor joined the EU-funded COREu research and innovation consortium in early 2025 and is undergoing technology qualification with DNV. The qualification process has completed its planning phase, covering the qualification basis, technology and threat assessments and qualification plan, with prototype testing and demonstration expected in mid-2027.
Facts Only
* MacGregor expanded its offshore technology portfolio.
* The Horizon gangway received DNV certification under DNV-ST-0358 for floating-to-floating personnel transfers.
* Certification enables motion-compensated connections between two independently moving vessels.
* The system allows personnel transfer between floating assets without a fixed landing point.
* The capability is designed for FPSOs, floating rigs, floating wind arrays, and offshore service fleets.
* The gangway uses a purpose-designed flap instead of a conventional docking head.
* LiDAR-based relative-motion tracking feeds the motion-compensation system.
* Floating-to-floating capability can be retrofitted or upgraded on existing Horizon gangway units.
* A Liquid Carbon Dioxide ($\text{LCO}2$) Bow Transfer System (BTS) was developed for direct ship-to-well/rig transfer of $\text{LCO}2$.
* The BTS builds on MacGregor's Bow Loading System technology, used in the oil and gas sector since the 1970s.
* Seal materials were tested with SINTEF under rapid gas decompression and $\text{LCO}2$ conditions.
* The system maintains integrity across repeated pressure cycles and temperatures as low as minus $57^\circ\text{C}$.
* The system supports operations in sea states with wave heights of five to six meters and water depths up to 150 meters.
* $\text{LCO}2$ transfer hardware is designed for four system architectures across low/medium pressure (30-60 bar) and high-pressure (300 bar).
* MacGregor joined the EU-funded COREu consortium in early 2025 and is undergoing DNV technology qualification.
* Prototype testing and demonstration are expected in mid-2027.
Executive Summary
Full Take
The narrative centers on extending established offshore technology—gangway movement and loading systems—into novel, dynamically mobile applications for personnel and material transfer. The pattern here involves leveraging proven mechanical principles (like Bow Loading) and applying rigorous certification pathways ($\text{DNV}$) to create new operational envelopes that eliminate traditional fixed infrastructure dependencies. The tension lies between the demonstrable physical capabilities (handling extreme conditions and pressure cycles) and the regulatory/qualification timeline, which introduces a temporal constraint on real-world deployment.
The focus shifts from static safety protocols to dynamic adaptability at sea. This suggests a systemic drive within the offshore sector toward operational flexibility over fixed logistical chains. The $\text{LCO}2$ transfer system introduces a secondary layer of complexity: handling high-pressure, cryogenic fluids in dynamic marine environments. The fact that this capability is being qualified through consortia like COREu indicates a shift from proprietary engineering to recognized, multi-stakeholder validation, suggesting an expectation that this technology must integrate into broader energy transition goals.
The implications point toward decoupling service logistics from port schedules and intermediate storage, which has profound consequences for operational economics and environmental footprints. The reliance on field-proven technology ($\sim 79\%$) while engineering novel components highlights a balancing act between leveraging existing industrial knowledge and innovating for specific process demands. The core pattern is the acceleration of physical system innovation driven by the need for on-demand, adaptable maritime operations under increasingly stringent safety standards.
Bridge Questions: How will the DNV qualification timeline impact the speed of adoption across different offshore operators? What are the unstated economic incentives driving the shift from port-based scheduling to fully mobile service execution? What regulatory frameworks must evolve to accommodate motion-compensated systems interacting with existing maritime safety protocols?
Sentinel — Human
The text appears to be a factual summary of technological developments and certifications announced by a specific company, exhibiting the high internal consistency of domain-specific reporting rather than general synthetic prose.