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Mooring systems are among the most critical sub-systems for floating marine energy converters (MEC). In particular, the occurrence of peak mooring loads on MEC mooring systems must be carefully evaluated in order to ensure a robust and efficient mooring design. This understanding can be gained through long-term field test measurement campaigns, providing mooring and environmental data for a wide range of conditions. This paper draws on mooring tensions and environmental conditions that have been recorded (1) for several months during the demonstration of an MEC device and (2) over a period of 18 months at a mooring test facility. Both systems were installed in a shallow water depth (45 m and 30 m, respectively) using compliant multi-leg catenary mooring systems. A methodology has been developed to detect peak mooring loads and to relate them to the associated sea states for further investigation. Results indicate that peak mooring loads did not occur for the sea states on the external contour line of the measured sea states, but for the sea states inside the scatter diagram. This result is attributed to the short-term variability associated with the maximum mooring load for the given sea state parameters. During the identified sea states, MEC devices may not be in survival mode, and thus, the power take-off (PTO) and ancillary systems may be prone to damage. In addition, repeated high peak loads will significantly contribute to mooring line fatigue. Consequently, considering sea states inside the scatter diagram during the MEC mooring design potentially yields a more cost-effective mooring system. As such, the presented methodology contributes to the continuous development of specific MEC mooring systems.

The design of wave energy mooring systems is challenging: overdesign incurs a significant cost penalty, underdesign may lead to a premature failure and incorrect design could reduce the power production. Consequently, compliant mooring systems are being developed for wave energy applications. This paper presents tank test results for a scale model of the buoy and mooring used at the South West Mooring Test Facility (SWMTF), an offshore facility developed to conduct long-term sea trials for wave energy device moorings. A compliant three leg catenary mooring system using Nylon ropes in the water column is investigated. Preliminary static, quasi-static, decay, regular and irregular wave tests were conducted on the 1:5 scale model, using the Ifremer basin in Brest. A corresponding numerical model was developed with a time-domain mooring modelling tool, inputting hydrodynamic data from a radiation/diffraction potential modelling program. After the calibration of several hydrodynamic parameters, the numerical model demonstrated good agreement with the experiment. However, numerical results show large differences with the field test results, mainly because of unknowns in the anchor position. The methods and procedures presented will allow the effective validation of numerical models to enable the development of appropriate mooring systems in wave energy applications.