News

Arup appointed to support foundation design for 450MW offshore wind project in Japan

The appointment builds on Arup’s longstanding presence in Japan, where we have supported offshore wind developments including Akita & Noshiro Ports, Oga Katagami Akita, and Saikai Enoshima.

Author

Janet Chan

East Asia Media Officer

Hong Kong

Author Contact Information

[email protected]

Last updated: 29th March 2026

Arup has been appointed by a consortium of global wind developers to support the early-stage development of a 450MW offshore wind project on the east coast of Japan.

The site is expected to feature in a future offshore wind auction and presents a complex development environment, with challenging metocean and seismic conditions. Arup’s scope includes pre-FEED foundation design for both monopile and jacket foundation options, providing a comprehensive assessment of feasibility and design requirements to support informed decision-making as the project progresses.

Central to Arup’s approach is the application of OPTIF, the firm’s proprietary offshore wind foundation design tool. OPTIF combines rapid analysis, advanced optimisation and flexible workflows to efficiently explore a wide design space at an early stage of development.

Tool

OPTIF

Using OPTIF, Arup’s experts can assess thousands of potential foundation configurations, accounting for site-specific variation in water depth, geotechnical and metocean conditions and seismic demand. This enables optimal design solutions to be identified early, enhances confidence in feasibility assessments, and can reduce the risk of design changes and rework in later project phases.

This appointment reflects the value of combining deep local understanding with global offshore wind foundation design capability. By applying advanced digital design and optimisation at the pre-FEED stage, we are supporting robust, efficient and well-informed development decisions for a challenging site.

Jin Sasaki

Offshore wind leader Japan

The appointment builds on Arup’s longstanding presence in Japan, where the firm has operated since 1989. Arup’s Tokyo office has become a trusted partner in the local industry, offering a wide range of technical design, engineering and consulting services tailored to Japan’s unique challenges, including earthquake-resistant structural design.

Arup has delivered geotechnical, foundation design or Owner’s Engineering services for several offshore wind projects across Japan, including Akita & Noshiro Ports, Ishikari, Oga Katagami Akita, and Saikai Enoshima. We continue to work closely with developers as the country’s offshore wind market evolves.

Arup continues to invest in digital design tools such as OPTIF to support the resilient, efficient and sustainable delivery of offshore wind projects in Japan and globally.