Gwynt y Môr Windfarm: Weekly Progress Report, 13th May 2013

This is a summary of the weekly notice of operations for the Gwynt y Môr Offshore Windfarm issued on 13th 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: 80 installed, 80 remaining
• Transition pieces: 69 installed, 91 remaining
• Export cables: 1st cable (East) laid and is now joined (see notice here).  2nd cable (East) is now installed (see notice here).

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 Transition Piece installation.
  
• Cable Enterprise and support vessels completed work installing export cable 2 for OSP East then departed to Belfast for loading of export cable 3 (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.
• Colwyn Bay and Kinmel Bay utilised as Crew Transfer / Stand by vessel as required and based at Liverpool Marina.
• 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 been in Liverpool getting ready to re-commence trials and array cable installation.
• Sea Jack turbine installation vessel loaded in the Port of Mostyn and waiting for suitable weather to commence turbine tower installation (see our previous notice here).
• JB114 is jacked up alongside OSP East (see our previous notice here).
• Barge UR7 arrived at Birkenhead to be loaded with component parts to be installed by Stanislav Yudin.
• Smit Buffalo and Smit Bulldog arrived and took up duties in the wet basin at Birkenhead Base Harbour.
• Construction of the CTV pontoon at Base Harbour, Birkenhead has been completed and final commissioning is still taking place.

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.
• Cable Enterprise and support vessels will complete loading of export cable 3 in Belfast, and will return Gwynt y Môr Offshore Wind Farm to commence installation (see our previous notice here).
• Seatruck Pace will continue deliveries of wind turbine generator parts to Mostyn.
• Sea Jack turbine installation vessel will leave the Port of Mostyn as soon as weather allows and then commence erection of towers on Gwynt y Môr Offshore Wind Farm (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.
• Two component barges are expected to arrive this week in readiness for recommencement of monopile installation by Stanislav Yudin.
• Stanislav Yudin has been delayed and is expected to transit to Gwynt y Môr Offshore Wind Farm during the week to recommence monopile installation (see our previous notice here).

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.