Gwynt y Môr Windfarm: Weekly Progress Report, 8th October 2012

This is a summary of the weekly notice of operations for the Gwynt y Môr Offshore Windfarm issued on 8th October 2012 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 progress is illustrated in a map here, and summarised below:-

• Monopiles: 34 installed, 126 remaining
• Transition pieces: 29 installed, 131 remaining
• Export cables: 1st cable being layed from Pensarn Beach to OSP East 9.985km have been laid, 11.708km remaining.
• Array cables: work not commenced

Navigation Hazards

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

• Unlit objects – there are presently 14 unlit monopiles and transition pieces within the windfarm boundary.  Our latest update about these hazards can be accessed here.
• Exposed monopiles – there are currently four exposed monopiles, which may be submerged at certain states of tide.  These are detailed in our previous notice here.
• Cable plough – this is presently in wet store while the cable laying barge Cable Enterprise has been repaired.  The location of the cable plough is detailed 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:

• Stanislav Yudin continued foundation installation duties assisted by support vessels Anglian Monarch, Smit Angola and Union Boxer.  The Stanislav Yudin made a port visit to Holyhead to carry out repairs to the pile driving hammer, and is expected to return to the site on 8th or 9th October 2012.
• Penrhos Bay and Malltraeth Bay have been used as a Crew Transfer / Stand by vessels when required, running out of Conwy Marina or Deganwy.
• Colwyn Bay, Tremadoc Bay, Kinmel Bay and Penryn Bay utilised as Crew Transfer / Stand by vessels as required and based at Liverpool Marina.
• Crew Transfer Vessels Chinook and Scirocco arrived in Base Port and are currently lying alongside in the wet basin.
• Choice has been on guard vessel duties (see Notice to Mariners 13 here).
• Cable barge Cable Enterprise completed repairs at Cammell Laird ship yard and is now on location to recover the cable plough and resume cable laying activity.
• DP Vessel Sentinel continues with site clearance operations at the windfarm (see notice here).
• Smit Barge 12 has been on standby in Vittoria Dock.
• Viking Barge 5 has been transporting components to site, assisted by tugs Smit Buffalo, Smit Beluga & Union Boxer.
• Viking Barge 3 has been transporting components to site, assisted by tugs Smit Buffalo, Smit Beluga & Union Boxer.
• Toisa Warrior continued with grouting operations, following Stanislav Yudin‘s transition piece installation programme.
• Terramare 1 continued with diving operations (see Notice to Mariners 18 here)
• Frederiche Ernestine continued with jacking trials (see Notice to Mariners 20 here).

Work planned for next 7 days

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

• Stanislav Yudin will resume installation of monopiles and transition pieces on the 8th or 9th October 2012 supported by Smit Angola, Anglian Monarch and Union Boxer.
• Penhros Bay and Malltraeth Bay will continue to be utilised as Crew Transfer / Stand by vessels, running out of Conwy Marina or Deganwy.
• Tremadoc Bay, Colwyn Bay, Kinmel Bay, Penryn Bay, Chinook and Scirocco will be utilised as Crew Transfer / Stand by vessels, sailing from Liverpool Marina.
• Choice will remain on station as guard vessel.
• Cable barge Cable Enterprise will resume cable laying operations supported by vessels Fairplay 27, Whalsa Lass and MCS Ailsa.
• DP Vessel Sentinel will commence site clearance operations in the windfarm area (see Notice to Mariners 16 here).
• Viking Barge 3 and Viking Barge 5 will transport components to the windfarm area assisted by tugs Smit Buffalo, Smit Beluga, Union Boxer & Union Emeraldon a regular basis.
• Toisa Warrior will continue grouting operations as transition pieces are installed at Gwynt y Môr Offshore Windfarm.
• DSV Terramare 1 will continue diving operations on site.
• Frederich Ernestine will continue with jacking trials before commencing monopile and transition piece installation.

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.