[Update – the information in this notice has been superseded by more recent notices.  The notice remains as part of the historical record of notices issued for this project.  Please refer to the most recent notice for an up-to-date record of the notices presently in place for this project.  This can be accessed via the project description page here.]

Mariners are advised of an update to the cable installation work in the Irish Sea along the Western HVDC Link cable route further to the Notice to Mariners circulated on 4th July.  The only change to the proposed works is that an additional vessel, Astrea, will be working on the post lay installation burial of the cable.

This work has commenced on schedule in mid July 2017.  The latest Notice to Mariners can be downloaded here and is summarised below.

Deep Water Cable Installation Update

The cable laying vessel Giulio Verne has returned to the Irish Sea on schedule and has now started to joint a new section of cable to previously installed cable at KP233 (approximately 18.5km south-west of the Calf of Man) and will then surface lay the cable to KP176 (approximately 16km east of Millen Bay, NI).

Post Lay Installation Burial of this cable will be carried out immediately by the vessel Normand Pacific and the vessel Astrea.

Details of the cable route and burial methodology are provided in the Notice to Mariners which can be downloaded here.

Vessel details

Details of the vessels involved in these operations, along with their present location can be found on MarineTraffic.com via the links below:-

• Giulio Verne: Cable layer | Call sign IBPU
• Normand Pacific: Multi Purpose Offshore Vessel | Call sign LAXI7
• Astrea: Multi Purpose Offshore Vessel | Call sign SYBE

Vessels will be monitoring VHF Channel 16 throughout the operations.

The vessels involved in this work will be restricted in their ability to manoeuvre and other vessels are reminded to pass at a safe speed and distance.  Fishing vessels are advised to remain a safe distance (approximately 1.5 nautical miles) from the free laid sections and the crossing sections.  Deployed Guard Vessels will monitor the exposed areas and advise of safe distances locally.

Exposed cable locations

Mariners are advised that all cable burial and protection works have been completed on Campaigns 4a & 4b (in the Firth of Clyde) and Campaigns 1 & 2 (in Liverpool Bay).

There are several sections of exposed cable along the cable route to the south and west of the Isle of Man (Campaigns 5a & 5b), and also Campaigns 3 & 6 (to the west of the Isle of Man running towards the North Channel.  These sections comprise crossings of existing cables & pipelines, areas of cable that will be jointed and buried, as well as some small exposures that are under review to reduce the need for rock protection on the cable route.

To assist all mariners, a consolidated list of exposed cable locations  (as of 30th June 2017) has been compiled.  This list is included in the notice to mariners that can be downloaded here.

Details of the vessels that will be involved in future protection work along the cable route will be provided in separate notices to mariners.

Guard vessels

Guard vessels have been stationed along the cable route during installation and burial to ensure the safety of marine users.  They will remain in position until cable protection  operations are completed to advise mariners of the location of exposed cable.

In areas where the cable crosses other cables and pipelines that are in service, the guard vessels will remain on station until cable protection has been completed in these locations (either through concrete mattressing or rock placement).

Vessels are requested to pass at a safe speed and distance and fishing vessels are advised to remain a safe distance (approximately 1.5 nautical miles) from the areas identified. Guard Vessels have been deployed at each location to aid in monitoring the exposed areas and advise of safe distances locally.

The locations of Guard Vessel areas and exposed sections are shown in Tables 1 & 2 of the Notice to Mariners which can be downloaded here.

Notices to Mariners

The Notices to Mariners that are presently in place for this project are:-

• Western HVDC Link: Deep water cable installation, Irish Sea, July 2017 – this notice is described above.  It was issued on 13th July 2017 and provides an update on proposed cable installation and burial work in the Irish Sea to the south and west of the Isle of Man.  It can be downloaded here.
• Exposed cable locations: Update, Irish Sea North Channel, Firth of Clyde – this notice was issued on 30th June 2017 and provides an update on exposed cable locations in these areas.  The notice can be downloaded here.
• Shallow water survey work, Ardneil Bay & Leasowe – this notice was issued on the 29th June 2017 and describes the shallow water survey work that will be carried out at Ardneil Bay and Leasowe during July 2017.  The notice can be downloaded here.
• Post lay mattressing operations in the Irish Sea – this notice was issued on the 11th May 2017 and describes the mattressing operations that will be carried out to protect the cable at service crossings in the Irish Sea and the Firth of Clyde.  The notice can be downloaded here.
• Debris – this notice was issued on the 15th March 2017.  It informs mariners of the location of some debris that was found during the Pre Lay Grapnel Run along the cable route to the south of the Isle of Man.  The notice can be downloaded here.
• Concrete mattressing – along the cable route concrete mattresses have been laid at crossings of existing cables and pipelines.  A notice to mariners about the mattressing campaign conducted in 2015 can be downloaded here.

Earlier notices are all rescinded.