Mariners are advised that the benthic survey work that started to the south and west of Gwynt y Môr Offshore windfarm during September 2020 has been briefly halted and will resume again in early-mid November 2020. The original Notice to Mariners about this operation can be downloaded here.
Activity
The vessel Aquatech Surveyor is due to undertake benthic drop down camera and Day grap survey for scientific monitoring purposes to the south and west of the Gwynt y Môr offshore windfarm. The location of the survey work is shown in the Notice to Mariners.
Survey operations started during September 2020. Work has been halted to allow time for maintenance of the survey vessel, and will resume in early-mid November, weather permitting.
Vessel details
Aquatech Surveyor is an 18m multi-purpose survey vessel with a white cabin and hull. The vessel details and a link to its present location are given below:-
- Aquatech Surveyor: survey vessel | MMSI 232020541 | Call sign MERZ9
The vessel will operate on a 24 hour basis from Holyhead in North Wales. Survey operations will be limited to daylight hours with the vessel anchoring inshore overnight.
During the survey operations the vessel will be restricted in the ability to manoeuvre.
The vessel will remain on each survey station location for a period of approximately 15 minutes. Umbilical cable may potentially trail from the vessel by up to 25m during deployment, depending on tidal conditions.
Other vessels are requested to keep well clear and pass slowly with a wide berth.
The survey vessel will monitor VHF Channel 16 at all times.
Details of this work are specified in the Notice to Mariners that can be downloaded here.
Notices to Mariners
The Notices to Mariners that are currently issued for Gwynt y Môr Offshore Windfarm are listed below:-
- Gwynt y Môr: Benthic Survey, September 2020: this is the notice that this update relates to. It was issued on 13th September and advises of survey work due to be carried out to the south and west of the Gwynt y Môr windfarm during September 2020. The notice can be downloaded here.
- Wave buoy maintenance, September 2020: this work has been completed.
- Jack-up vessel operations, October 2020: this work has been completed.
Please contact Jim Andrews, Fishery Liaison Officer by e-mail or phone (+44(0)7908-225865) if you have any queries or concerns about this notice.