'''Very large floating structures''' ('''VLFSs''') or '''very large floating platforms''' ('''VLFPs)''') are artificial islands, which may be constructed to create [[floating airport]]s, [[bridge]]s, [[breakwater (structure)|breakwaters]], [[pier]]s and [[Dock (maritime)|dock]]s, storage facilities (for oil and natural gas), [[Floating wind turbine|wind]] and [[Tata Power#Future projects|solar]] power plants, for [[Sea-based X-band Radar|military purposes]]<!-- example only; there may possibly be a more general article on large military floating structures? or not. -->, to create industrial space, emergency bases, entertainment facilities (such as [[casino]]s), recreation parks, [[Oil platform|mobile offshore structures]] and even for [[Seasteading|habitation]]. Currently, several different concepts have been proposed for building [[Ocean colonization|floating cities]] or huge living complexes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deltasync.nl/deltasync/index.php?id=1&L=1|title=DeltaSync floating city|publisher=Deltasync.nl|access-date=27 October 2014}}</ref> Some units have been constructed and are presently in operation.<ref>Japan constructed the Mega-Float (a floating runway in Tokyo bay); Japan also has floating fuel storage bases at Shirashima and Kamigoto Islands, and floating ferry piers at Ujina port (Hiroshima). Several very long floating bridges are currently in use; three are located near Seattle, Washington USA. The [[Floating Bridge, Dubai]], over the Dubai Creek, is 300 meters long. Singapore built the world’s largest floating performance stage at the Marina Bay, and is currently installing a mega floating fuel storage facility off Pulau Sebarok. South Korea is currently installing three floating islands on the Han River, to be used for convention centers, and another project at Seoul will function as hotel/convention center/customs site/quay. [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877705811010848 Science Direct, ''Very Large Floating Structures'', p. 63]</ref>
Floating structures offer several advantages over more permanent structures which might extend from the shore into open water:
