The construction of German Riffgat offshore wind farm in the North Sea has raised a lot of dust, reports the Netherlands Info Services.
The wind farm is located 15 kilometres to the north-west of the German island of Borkum, where it will cover an area of 6 square kilometres.
Since it is being built near the Netherlands’ part of the sea, the Dutch think that the wind farm will be partly in their waters, even though Germany considers 13.2 square metre area near the mouth of the Eems as German territory.
After the first monopile was installed, public works department wrote to the development company, EWE, saying they would need a permit to build in Dutch waters.
The Dutch foreign ministry says its claim is based on the United Nations Sea Rights Treaty. On the other hand, Germany traces its territorial claim on an enfeoffment (lien) dating from 1464.
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Offshore WIND staff, July 16, 2012; Image: Riffgat