Energia intends to deploy marine acoustic monitoring equipment off the coasts of Co Waterford and Co Wexford between now and 24 February, subject to weather and operational constraints.

The deployments are part of works for Energia’s North Celtic Sea and South Irish Sea offshore wind projects in these respective areas.

The North Celtic Sea is a renewable energy project proposed to be located a minimum of 10km and up to 25km off the Co Waterford Coast. The South Irish Sea project, meanwhile, is proposed to be located a minimum of 10km and up to 25km off the coasts of Wexford and south Wicklow.

Acoustic monitoring equipment will remain on site for a period of three to four months, weather window permitting. After this period the devices will be retrieved and redeployed at new locations, that will continue to cover a 12-month period.

The equipment consists of four acoustic devices and their moorings, which will be used to monitor for marine mammal activity in the proposed wind park areas.

Deployments in both areas will be conducted by the MV Sharp Shooter (callsign EI5069). As this vessel will be deploying survey equipment, it will be restricted in its ability to manoeuvre. All other vessels are requested to leave a wide berth during the operations and pass at minimum speed to reduce vessel wash.

The MV Sharp Shooter will be monitoring VHF Channel 16 and Working on VHF Channel 6. All operations will be during the hours of daylight only. Throughout survey operations, the vessels will be displaying the appropriate lights and shapes.

For more on the acoustic devices, their planned locations, relevant maps and contact details, see Marine Notice No 5 of 2023 and Marine Notice No 6 of 2023, attached below.

Green Rebel Marine will undertake a geophysical survey campaign for an offshore wind farm in the North Celtic Sea from next Tuesday 29 March to the end of May, weather permitting.

The survey will be conducted on a 24-hour basis by the Roman Rebel (callsign 2ICA5), which will display appropriate lights and signals.

The survey will utilise multibeam echo sounders, sub-bottom profilers, side-scan sonars, magnetometers and ultra-high-resolution survey equipment, both hull-mounted and towed.

Typically, the towed cable lengths will be about four times the water depth while acquiring survey data.

Mariners are advised to keep continuous watch on VHF Channel 16 when navigating the areas of operation, coordinates of which are detailed in Marine Notice No 16 of 2022 attached below.

All vessels operating in the vicinity of these operations are requested to keep their distance and pass at minimum speed to reduce vessel wash.

The Irish Centre for Research in Applied Geosciences (iCRAG) at University College Dublin will undertake its InStor survey to acquire data for leakage monitoring for carbon capture and storage in the North Celtic Sea next month.

Supporting ongoing research at iCRAG, the survey’s aim “is to investigate and characterise the existing seabed morphologies which are related to passive and active seepage of fluids, such as pockmarks and mounds, and to provide new high-resolution geophysical datasets along with geochemical data, which will be used to create an integrated baseline geological model and form the basis for understanding the current status of complex processes in the survey area.”

Weather depending, the survey will be carried out between 19 and 26 March by the RV Celtic Voyager (callsign EIQN) which will display appropriate lights and signals. Work will be performed in accordance with safe operating practices regarding MMO procedures and cognisant of fishing gear.

Coordinates of the survey area as well as contact details are included in Marine Notice No 13 of 2022, which is attached below.