Forewind has awarded a combined Fred. Olsen Windcarrier and SeaRoc team with the contract for the 2016 operations and maintenance (O&M) work on the two meteorological masts collecting data at Dogger Bank.
The two masts were installed in 2013 and are located in the North Sea approximately 100 and 150 kilometres from the UK coast.
The first trip is scheduled for April and will include the use of a Cyberhawk remotely-operated aerial vehicle (ROAV) once again as it has been proven to significantly reduce the requirement for workers to climb the towers and undertake potentially risky activities, Forewind, the consortium behind the Dogger Bank development, said.
For the first time a crew vessel from North Norfolk’s Tidal Transit will also be employed on the site.
SeaRoc has been working with Forewind on the Dogger Bank project since November 2011, having provided the topsides and maintenance services since the installation of the met masts. Fred. Olsen Windcarrier’s jack-up vessel Brave Tern erected the two met masts in 2013.
Forewind’s operations manager Nachaat Tahmaz said: “We are looking forward to working again with Fred. Olsen Windcarrier and SeaRoc on the operations and maintenance of the masts. The companies are able to provide teams that have direct experience of managing the activities that will be required as well as specialist capabilities.”
The two met masts, Dogger Bank Met Mast East and Dogger Bank Met Mast West, are collecting meteorological data including wind, wave, atmospheric and marine traffic for the potential wind farms in the Dogger Bank Zone.