The works on removing the stranded Oceanlinx wave energy converter has started this week off the coast of Australia.
The contract for removing the Oceanlinx WEC has been awarded to Polaris Marine, with the removal expected to be completed by April 2017, according to Parliamentary Secretary for the Illawarra and South Coast Gareth Ward.
Ward said a barge will first remove a 50 tonne dislodged section of the steel structure that was damaged by storm and transport it to Newcastle Port. After that, the inspections of the submerged sections of the structure will be carried out to determine the best method of removal and disposal.
Oceanlinx’ 500 kW device was first deployed in 2005, and has been left stranded off the Port Kembla coastline, New South Wales, since 2009.
As reported earlier, Oceanlinx went into liquidation following the accident with 1MW greenWAVE wave energy device that sank during the transport to its designated deployment location.