Forewind has used its latest operations and maintenance trip to the meteorological masts on Dogger Bank to trial new technology and methodology.
The trip enabled aerial inspection and survey contractor Cyberhawk to utilise a new advanced camera technology to inspect the overall status of the met masts and condition of bolts along with the structure of the lattice towers.
For the first time, Forewind also employed a multi-functional offshore wind crew transfer vessel, Tidal Transit’s 20 metre Eden Rose. The aim was to determine how smaller vessels are likely to cope with operating at such distances from shore and in different wave and weather conditions.
Eden Rose travelled from the Port Sunderland to work on both Dogger Bank Met Mast East, located approximately 100 kilometres from the UK coast, and Dogger Bank Met Mast West, sited 150 kilometres from the coast.
Forewind’s Operations and HSE Manager Nachaat Tahmaz said that while being conscious that Eden Rose was somewhat smaller than previous vessels used at Dogger Bank, it performed as well as larger vessels.
“This trip was a positive signal for the potential use of similar sized vessels as part of operations and maintenance trips to Dogger Bank in the future,” Tahmaz.