Work on the installation of the Wirral end of the Western Link undersea power cable is due to commence in July 2013. A Notice to Mariners has been issued about this work and can be downloaded here. We have summarised the key aspects of this work below.
Offshore activity
On Thursday 18th July 2013 two black plastic pipes, each 600m long and 450mm (18″) in diameter will be moored in Liverpool Bay. These pipes have been manufactured in Norway and will be towed on site from there. Further information about these pipes including a map of their mooring location can be downloaded here.
Both pipes will be fitted with radar reflectors and lights at each end as well as at points along their length. The vessels Vixen and / or JetStar will attend the pipes on a daily basis. These vessels can be contacted on VHF Channels 12 and 16.
The pipes are due to be transferred inshore where they will be used to sleeve the power cables holes that will be drilled under the seawall and navigation channel by Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) equipment based onshore. The installation procedure is summarised below:-
- 22nd July 2013: the barge Wilcarry 501 will mobilise to the beach off Leasowe, and will remain there until 29th July 2013.
- 23rd July 2013: one of the pipes will be disconnected from its anchorage by the vessels Vixen and JetStar and towed to the Wilcarry 501, prior to being installed beneath the embankment and navigation channel.
- 20th August 2013: the barge Wilcarry 501 will return to the beach off Leasowe and will remain there until 27th August 2013.
- 21st August 2013: the second pipe will be disconnected and towed by the vessels Vixen and JetStar to the Wilcarry 501 for installation beneath the embankment and navigation channel.
All of these dates will be subject to favourable weather conditions and are liable to change if the weather is inclement.
Vessel Details
Information about the vessels that will be involved in this work is given below. Where possible we have included a link to the MarineTraffic.com website so that you can see the current location of the vessels involved in construction with just one click.
- Wilcarry 501: Flat top pontoon.
- Vixen: tug | Call sign 2FJL9
- JetStar: shallow water jet workboat
Construction vessels will monitor VHF Channels 12 & 16. All other vessels are requested to give these vessel 500m clearance during construction activity.
The Western Link
The Western Link will be an undersea cable linking Ardneil in the Clyde with the Wirral in north-west England. Details of the project can be found on our website here.
If you have any queries about the Western Link project, please contact Jim Andrews, Fisheries Liaison Officer by e-mail or by phone on +44(0)7908-225865.