Sabella’s team has completed the replacement of a new dry mate connector at the end of the export cable connecting the D10 tidal turbine to Ushant’s coast.
The operation was carried out with the MV Olympic Taurus, a multi-purpose vessel chartered by Mojo Maritime France (James Fisher Marine Services).
The connector at the end of the export cable was damaged during the first deployment of the tidal turbine in June 2015, after a non-properly controlled sea operation carried out with a German installation vessel in the Fromveur Passage.
Despite the damages caused on the export cable, the tidal turbine was able to function correctly during the initial one-year authorization period.
The dry-mate connector was recovered in July 2016 by Mojo Maritime during the retrieval of the D10 turbine by the Norwegian vessel MV Aker Wayfarer. The export cable, equipped with a waterproof head cover, was then laid back on the seabed.
While D10 is undergoing maintenance and optimization works in Brest before a redeployment on her support structure, planned later this year, Sabella took advantage of favourable summer weather conditions to carry out marine operations for the cable, in order to minimize the duration of the upcoming turbine installation operations, the company said.
The MV Olympic Taurus kept her position on site for more than two days to complete the operation.