Kerala Coast May Get Floating Offshore Platform for Energy and Protection
A consortium including ULCCS and European partners has proposed a multipurpose offshore floating platform off Kerala to curb coastal erosion and generate renewable energy.
A multinational consortium has proposed building a multipurpose offshore floating platform (MOFP) along Kerala's coastline, aiming to shield the shore from rough seas while generating renewable energy and supporting blue-economy activities.
The project is being pursued by the Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS) along with Poul Consult of Norway, Windside of Finland, and the University of Salento in Italy. An Expression of Interest was submitted at the Blue Tides Kerala–European Union Conclave 2025 held in Thiruvananthapuram.
The proposed platform, measuring roughly 200 to 250 metres in length, would be either piled or tethered to the seabed and positioned near-parallel to the shoreline. Its design integrates aquaculture cages, vertical-axis wind turbines, floating solar panels on the lee side, and wave energy converters at the front.
By dissipating wave forces before they reach the coast, the structure is expected to protect coastal settlements, transport links, and land resources. The calm-water zones created behind the breakwater systems could host marine fish farming, shellfish and seaweed cultivation, floating solar photovoltaic installations, marine logistics, and research platforms.
According to Jayakumar, former managing director and CEO of Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited, and Jiju Poulose, a Kerala-born offshore infrastructure specialist based in Norway, the project could create a new productive economic corridor along the state's coastline. Renewable capacity could eventually be scaled to about 200 MW through additional floating solar and complementary technologies, with power initially fed to the grid and later used for green hydrogen production.
IIT Madras is reviewing the concept, with Professor Vijay of the Department of Ocean Engineering focusing on engineering optimisation and cost efficiency. The institute's wave-modelling and testing facilities could provide technical inputs as the project advances.
Subject to approvals, the team plans to deploy a pilot-scale platform for sea trials, with a long-term vision of scaling up the modular system in phases. Although the proposal was presented to the Kerala government ahead of the Assembly elections, no official response has been received so far. The team now intends to seek the Central government's cooperation to implement the pilot project in Kerala or another maritime state.