A multi-million pound programme of marine surveys have been contracted by The Crown Estate ahead of the upcoming leasing round next year for the 4GW floating offshore wind farm in the Celtic Sea. The metocean surveys will be undertaken at the prospective locations for the floating wind farm.
The engineering and environmental surveys in the Celtic Sea are the first major investment by the authority, which manages the seabed around England, Wales and Northern Ireland. They will cover a range of areas including the geophysical and geotechnical properties of the seabed, marine wildlife, wind, wave, and current patterns. Precise specifications will be kept under review as the programme progresses.
The Crown Estate said it has worked with industry and other stakeholders, including statutory nature conservation bodies to develop the programme of surveys. The surveys will be conducted in advance of the upcoming leasing round with the aim of supplying vital data to successful bidders and speed up the development process, potentially by many months.
