Gwynt y Môr Windfarm: Weekly Progress Report, 26th August 2013

This is a summary of the weekly notice of operations for the Gwynt y Môr Offshore Windfarm issued on 26th August 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: 160 installed.  Monopile installation is now complete.
  • Transition pieces: 118 installed, 42 remaining.
  • Export cables: Installation of 1st and 2nd cables to OSP East is complete.  Installation of 3rd and 4th cables to OSP West is complete.  Export cable installation is now complete.
  • Wind Turbine Generators: 57 installed, 103 remaining.

Navigation Hazards

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

  • Unlit objects – there are presently 26 unlit monopiles, transition pieces & turbines within the windfarm boundary.  The location of these hazards is shown in a map here.
  • Exposed monopiles – there are currently 42 exposed monopiles, which may be submerged at certain states of tide.  Extreme care should be observed in the vicinity of these monopiles.  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 made a port call to Belfast and is currently alongside in Wet Basin, Cammell Laird shipyard, Birkenhead.
  • Stanislav Yudin and supporting tugs continued Transition Piece installation (see our previous notice here).
  • Wind Solution has remained at anchor position south of Gwynt y Môr (see our previous notice here).
  • Penrhyn Bay, Caernarfon Bay, Gardian, Gaillion, Colwyn Bay, Scirocco, Porth Dinllaen, Porth Diana, EMS Viking and Endurance utilised as Crew Transfer Vessels when required sailing from Canada Dock 3.
  • Penrhos Bay & Tremadoc Bay are on 24 hour cover and being utilised by the Emergency Rescue Team sailing from RWE Pontoon Birkenhead.
  • Chinook utilised as Crew Transfer / Stand by vessel as required and based at Liverpool Marina.
  • Kinmel Bay, Athenia, Adventure, Captain P, Commodore P, Endeavour and Buzzard CTVs sailed from Mostyn as required.
  • Isadale  performed guard duties and was used as the Marine Mammal Observation vessel; Isadale also made two port calls to Liverpool.
  • Normand Tonjer has continued diving operations assisting Polar Prince as required..
  • Polar Prince has continued array cable installation.
  • Sea Jack and Sea Worker continued turbine installation returning to the Port of Mostyn to reload (see our previous notice here).
  • JB114 continued drilling operations in Gwynt y Môr windfarm.
  • Barges UR7 &UR3 towed by lead tug Union Fighter continued with component deliveries to the Stanislav Yudin.
  • Union Diamond assisted with deliveries offshore to construction vessels.
  • Wilson Saar (coaster) has been on standby outside the wind farm area to assistStanislav Yudin as required.

Work planned for next 7 days

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

  • Friederich Ernestine and support vessels will continue with monopile cleaning and TP installation after departing from Wet Basin, Cammell Laird, Birkenhead.
  • Stanislav Yudin and support vessels Bremen Fighter and Smit Angola will continue with foundation installation duties (see our previous notice here).
  • Wind Solution will remain at anchor position to the south of Gwynt y Môr (see our previous notice here).
  • Sea Jack and Sea Worker turbine installation vessels will continue with wind turbine installation (see our previous notice here).
  • Penrhyn Bay, Colwyn Bay, Caernarfon Bay, Porth Dinllaen, Porth Diana, EMS Viking, Gardian, Gardian 2, Gaillion, Chinook, Scirocco and Endurance will be utilised as Crew Transfer Vessels when required sailing from Liverpool Marina and Canada Dock 3.
  • Penrhos Bay & Tremadoc Bay will provide 24 hour Emergency Rescue Team cover.  Endurance will join the rest of the flotilla based at Liverpool next week.
  • Kinmel Bay, Athenia, Adventure, Endeavour, Captain P, Commodore P, and Buzzard CTVs are sailing from Mostyn.
  • Normand Tonjer will continue diving operations including work with the Polar Prince to aid installation of array cables.
  • Polar Prince will continue with cable laying operations.
  • Isadale will continue performing guard duties and will be used as the Marine Mammal Observation vessel as and when required.
  • JB114 will continue with drilling operations at Gwynt y Môr wind farm..
  • Smit Buffalo and Smit Bulldog will continue moving barges around the wet basin for loading of components for Stanislav Yudin.
  • Union Fighter, UR7 & UR3 will continue to deliver components to the Stanislav Yudin as required.
  • Wilson Saar (coaster) will be on stand by to assist Stanislav Yudin as required.

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.

All vessels will monitor VHF Channel 16.

Port Arrivals

The planned port arrivals over the next 7 days are:-

  • Cammel Laird Birkenhead/Port of Liverpool.
    • Coasters Joerg NBenteMarlene and Manual Access Platform (MAPs) delivery vessels will continue to deliver components to Base Harbour at Birkenhead on a regular basis.
    • Construction vessels and support vessels may enter Liverpool at short notice to change crew and collect stores.
  • Mostyn.
    • Seatruck Pace will be arriving & departing on a regular basis delivering turbine components.
    • Sea Jack and Sea Worker turbine installation vessels will be arriving & departing on a regular basis to collect turbine components.
    • Athenia, Adventure, Endeavour, Captain P, Commodore P and Buzzard CTVs will be transiting daily.
    • Scirocco in Mostyn on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
    • Kinmel Bay used as and when required from Mostyn for crew changes & passenger transfers.
  • Liverpool marina / Cammell Lairds wet basin / Canada Dock
    • Crew transfer vessels listed in this notice will be transiting on a daily basis.
  • Fleetwood
    • Guard vessel Isadale bunkering fuel when required in Fleetwood.

Please contact Jim Andrews, Fishery Liaison Officer by e-mail or phone (+44(0)7908-225865) if you have any queries or concerns about these activities.

 

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