Gwynt y Môr Windfarm: Weekly Progress Report, 27th May 2013

This is a summary of the weekly notice of operations for the Gwynt y Môr Offshore Windfarm issued on 27th May 2013 to harbour masters and sea users.  This notice describes progress with construction, recent operations, work planned for the next 7 days, and provides a list of vessels operating on the site with their contact details.

Wind Farm Construction Status

Progress with construction is illustrated in a map here, and summarised below:-

• Monopiles: 81 installed, 79 remaining.
• Transition pieces: 70 installed, 90 remaining.
• Export cables: 1st cable (East) laid and is now joined (see notice here).  2nd cable (East) is now installed (see notice here).  Installation of 3rd cable is due to begin this week.
• Wind Turbine Generators:  3 installed, 157 remaning.

Navigation Hazards

There are presently a number of navigation hazards in and around the windfarm area.  These include:-

• Unlit objects – there are presently 6 unlit monopiles and transition pieces within the windfarm boundary.  Information about these hazards can be accessed here.
• Exposed monopiles – there are currently 11 exposed monopiles, which may be submerged at certain states of tide.  Advice about exposed monopiles is given in our previous notice here.

The location of these hazards is shown in a map here.

Work carried out over past 7 days

The following work has been carried out in the past week:

• Friederich Ernestine is in Gwynt y Môr Wind Farm continuing with Monopile cleaning and Transition Piece installation.
  
• Stanislav Yudin arrived at site with Smit Angola and Bremen Fighter to begin monopile installation, starting at D12D (see our previous notice here).
• Cable Enterprise and support vessels departed from Belfast, arrived at export cable 3 route (see our previous notice here).
• Penrhyn Bay, Llandudno Bay, Gardian, Gaillion, Chinook and Scirocco utilised as Crew Transfer Vessels when required sailing from Canada Dock 3.
• Penrhos Bay & Caernarfon Bay are now on 24 hour cover and being utilised by the Emergency Rescue Team sailing from RWE Pontoon Birkenhead.
• Colwyn Bay and Kinmel Bay utilised as Crew Transfer / Stand by vessel as required and based at Liverpool Marina (Kinmel Bay is due to be replaced by Llandudno Bay on Monday 27th May).
• Isadale  is performing guard duties at Gwynt y Môr Wind Farm and will be used as the Marine Mammal Observation vessel as and when required.  Completed a port call for crew change and MMO equipment installation at Fleetwood.
• Normand Tonjer has continued diving operations.
• Terramare 1 continued diving operations at the wind farm.
• Polar Prince has re-commenced trials and array cable installation at Gwynt y Môr Offshore Wind Farm.
• Sea Jack turbine installation vessel sailed from the Port of Mostyn and began turbine tower installation (see our previous notice here).
• JB114 is jacked up alongside OSP East (see our previous notice here).
• Barge UR7 departed from Birkenhead towed by lead tug Union Fighter with first load out of component parts for Stanislav Yudin.

Work planned for next 7 days

The work planned for the next 7 days on the site is:

• Friederich Ernestine will continue with monopile cleaning and TP installation in the windfarm area.
• Stanislav Yudin with continue with monopile installation duties (see our previous notice here).
• Cable Enterprise will continue with export cable 3 laying operations (see our previous notice here).
• Sea Jack turbine installation vessel will sail from Port of Mostyn to continue with wind turbine installation (see our previous notice here).
• Terramare 1 will continue diving operations at the wind farm.
• Colwyn Bay, Kinmel Bay, Penrhyn Bay, Penhros Bay, Caernarfon Bay, Gardian, Gaillion, Llandudno Bay, Chinook and Scirocco will be utilised as Crew Transfer / Stand by vessels running out of Liverpool Marina and Canada Dock, Liverpool.  Tremadoc Bay should return this week after a breakdown.
• Penrhos Bay & Caernarfon Bay will continue to be utilised by the Emergency Rescue Team.
• Normand Tonjer will continue diving operations including work with the Polar Prince to aid installation of array cables.
• Polar Prince will continue with trials & cable laying operations at Gwynt y Môr Offshore Wind Farm.
• Isadale will continue performing guard duties and will be used as the Marine Mammal Observation vessel as and when required.
• JB114 and support vessels will continue OSP commissioning (see our previous notice here).
• Smit Buffalo and Smit Bulldog will be dedicated to moving barges around the wet basin for loading of components for Stanislav Yudin.

List of vessels at site for next 7 days

The vessels that will be operating on the site over the next 7 days and their contact details are given below.  We have linked up the vessel names to MarineTraffic.com so that with just one mouse click you can find out more about their current location and recent activity.