Kish Offshore Wind Ltd and Bray Offshore Wind Ltd will be conducting geotechnical investigations on the Dublin Array project site and associated export cable corridor off the coast of counties Dublin and Wicklow from later this month.

The geotechnical investigations will include 27 vibrocores which will be sampled at locations within the offshore wind farm site. Project works will commence on Saturday 29 April and continue through to late May, subject to weather and operational constraints.

Investigations will be conducted within the Kish lease area, Bray lease area and the expert cable corridor, all of which are off the coast of counties Dublin and Wicklow.

Operations will be conducted by the multipurpose vessel Voe Vanguard (callsign MBEN9). The vessel will be positioned at each of the investigation points for approximately two hours, which may extend in the event of inclement weather.

The vessel is supplied with a VHF multi-channel radio and mobile phone. It will be operating 24 hours a day during the survey works and will display relevant lights and shapes as required under COLREGS.

All other vessels operating within the planned area of survey are requested to keep their distance and give a wide berth wherever possible.

Contact details, a map and coordinates of the survey area can be found in Marine Notice No 24 of 2023, attached below.

Vessel owners and operators, masters, skippers, fishers and seafarers are reminded of their responsibilities in relation to carrying out routine tasks and maintenance on board their vessels.

The advice from the Department of Transport comes on the foot of two incident reports from the Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) published in November last year, which cover marine casualties that resulted in serious injury.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the MCIB has warned of the dangers of working on ships at height after a 29-year-old Polish national fell from the Arklow Clan while it was berthed in Aberdeen, Scotland in August 2021.

The casualty sustained injuries both legs that required extensive hospitalisation, multiple surgeries and rehab.

Also for Afloat.ie, Lorna Siggins wrote about the MCIB’s report into an incident on the trawler FV Marliona in Co Donegal in February 2021, whereby the skipper’s arm was trapped by a trawl door and it was only by the quick action of a crew member that he did not sustain more serious injury or even lose his life.

Marine Notice No 27 of 2023 draws attention to the International Labour Office publication titled Accident prevention on board ship at sea and in port, highlighting its sections on risk assessment and hazard identification, use of PPE, working at height, operating heavy equipment, the dangers associated with particular fishing methods such as trawling and dredging, and adherence to applicable work hours and rest legislation.

For more, see the Marine Notice attached below.

The Department of Transport has been advised that a geophysical survey will be undertaken in the North Celtic Sea to provide site investigation information to facilitate SSE Renewables’ development of the Celtic Sea Array.

This survey work is anticipated to commence next Monday 17 April and is expected to be complete by the end of May, subject to weather and operational constraints.

The campaign will be confined to the proposed Celtic Sea Array offshore wind site in the North Celtic Sea, off the coast of Co Waterford and situated on the Nymph Bank, approximately 23km from the coast at its closest point.

Works are being conducted on a 24-hour and 12-hour basis respectively by the Roman Rebel (callsign 2ICA5) and Lady Kathleen (callsign EIXT2), which are currently engaged in a similar survey for the Setanta Wind Park.

During operations, these vessels will be restricted in their ability to manoeuvre due to the deployment of the towed survey equipment. They will also display appropriate lights and signals.

All other vessels are requested to leave a wide berth during the operations. Mariners are also advised to keep continuous watch on VHF Channel 16 when navigating the area.

For contact details, coordinates and a map of the survey area, see Marine Notice No 25 of 2023 attached below.

Following the first two legs between February and March, the third leg of this year’s Irish Anglerfish and Megrim Survey (IAMS 2022) will be carried out from Friday 14 to Sunday 23 April.

Surveys will be conducted to the North and Northwest Coasts of Ireland by the Marine Institute in fulfilment of Ireland’s obligations under the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

This leg of IAMS 2023 is a demersal trawl survey consisting of approximately 490 otter trawls, each of 60 minutes duration, in ICES areas 6a.

Fishing will take place within a three-nautical-mile radius of the positions indicated in Appendices 1 and 2 of Marine Notice No 21 of 2023, a PDF of which is attached below.

The survey will be conducted by the RV Celtic Explorer (callsign EIGB) which will display appropriate lights and signals. The vessel will be towing a Jackson demersal trawl during fishing operations.

The Marine Institute requests that commercial fishing and other marine operators keep a 3nm radius area around the tow points clear of any gear or apparatus during the survey period.

Further details are included in the Marine Notice below.

PSE Kinsale Energy Limited is undertaking an inshore pipeline survey along the route of a decommissioned pipeline from the Kinsale Gas Field.

Works will focus on the pipeline in the Celtic Sea close to Inch Beach in Co Cork.

The estimated duration of the survey is up to two days within a window from Friday 7 to Sunday 30 April, subject to weather and operational constraints.

Survey works will be conducted by the survey vessel Barnacle (callsign EIA2122) which will operate during daytime only and will display appropriate lights and signals.

Within the defined work areas, the vessel will be undertaking an acoustic survey using a multi-beam echo-sounder and a towed side-scan sonar.

All other vessels, particularly those engaged in fishing, are requested to leave a wide berth during the operations and to keep a sharp lookout in the relevant areas. The work vessel can be contacted on VHF Channel 13.

A map of the survey area, relevant coordinates and contact details are included in Marine Notice No 19 of 2023, attached below.

A geophysical survey is being undertaken in the North Irish Sea to provide site investigation information to facilitate the development of a wind turbine generator (WTG) array at the Setanta Wind Park.

The survey work for the offshore wind project was anticipated to start this past Monday 3 April and will be completed by next month, subject to weather and operational constraints.

The survey campaign will be confined to the proposed Setanta WTG Array site some 18km from Dunany Point in Co Louth at its most northerly point and Braymore Point in Co Dublin at its most southerly.

Works are being conducted by the Roman Rebel (callsign 2ICA5) and Lady Kathleen (callsign EIXT2) on a 24-hour and 12-hour basis respectively.

During operations, these vessels will be restricted in their ability to manoeuvre due to the deployment of the towed survey equipment. They will also display appropriate lights and signals.

All other vessels are requested to leave a wide berth during the operations. Mariners are also advised to keep continuous watch on VHF Channel 16 when navigating the area. A Fisheries Liaison Officer will be available to discuss operations throughout the duration of the survey campaign.

For contact details, coordinates and a map of the survey area, see Marine Notice No 20 of 2023 attached below.

The Department of Transport has been advised by Kish Offshore Wind Ltd and Bray Offshore Wind Ltd that geotechnical investigations will be conducted on the Dublin Array offshore wind farm project site off the coast of counties Dublin and Wicklow.

The project works will commence next Saturday 1 April and continue through to late May 2023, subject to weather and operational constraints.

The geotechnical investigation will include approximately seven boreholes which will be drilled at locations within the project work site.

Operations will be conducted by the Dutch Pearl (callsign PBZP), a support vessel/tug, and the Excalibur (callsign YJKQ5), a jack-up barge.

The Excalibur will be positioned at each of the investigation points for several days which may extend in the event of inclement weather. The Dutch Pearl will be assisting the Excalibur in its daily operations and towing the barge between investigation points. The standby tug will be at anchor on the project site and will be conducting transits between the site and Dublin Port.

Both vessels will display the relevant light and shapes as required under COLREGS. Both vessels will keep continuous watch on VHF Channels 16 and 72. During operations, the vessels will be restricted in their ability to manoeuvre. All other vessels are requested to leave a wide berth during the operations.

Contact details, relevant coordinates and a map of the work area ca be found in Marine Notice No 16 of 2023, attached below.

Mac Lir Offshore Wind Limited (MLOWL) is undertaking a geophysical reconnaissance survey within an area of survey off the coast of counties Wicklow and Wexford for a proposed offshore wind energy project.

The survey was expected to commence Sunday 12 March to be completed by Monday 10 April, subject to weather and operational constraints.

The purpose of the survey is to undertake a reconnaissance geophysical survey across an area of surveys that may be suitable for the development of the proposed Mac Lir Offshore Wind Farm (MLOWF).

Conducted by the RV Tom Crean (callsign EIYX3), the survey will be performed using a hull-mounted multibeam echo sounder, sub-bottom profilers, side-scan sonar, magnetometer, and towed ultra high-resolution survey (UHRS) system (with a maximum towed length of 500m).

The work vessel will run widely spaced lines across the planned area of survey on a 24-hour basis, weather dependent.

During operations, the work vessel will be restricted in its ability to manoeuvre. All other vessels operating within the planned area of survey are requested to keep their distance and pass at a minimum speed to reduce vessel wash.

The RV Tom Crean will display appropriate shapes and lights and will conduct communications on VHF Channel 16 with other ships and vessels to notify them of the operations.

Further details including a map, coordinates and contact information can be found in Marine Notice No 12 of 2023, attached below.

MERC Environmental Consultants Ltd and the Marine Institute are undertaking site investigation survey works at the Atlantic Marine Energy Test Site in Co Mayo.

The surveys are expected to be completed over a three-day period during the nearest available weather window which opened last Thursday 2 March, subject to weather and operational constraints.

Survey works include a benthic survey as well as geotechnical and geophysical surveys.

The survey campaign will be undertaken within the proposed Atlantic Marine Energy Test Site, consisting of two separate areas. Test Site A is 16km from Belderra Strand, and Test Site B is 6km from Belderra Strand on the Erris Peninsula.

The benthic survey work will be conducted by the Dúlra na Mara (callsign EIFS6) a shallow draft survey vessel. Meanwhile the survey vessel RV Celtic Explorer (callsign EIGB) will carry out geophysical and geotechnical site investigation works offshore at Test Site A and Test Site B and along the proposed cable corridor.

During operations the work vessels will be restricted in their ability to manoeuvre. All other vessels are requested to leave a wide berth during the deployment operations.

The survey operations will be conducted during daylight hours only. Mariners are advised to keep continuous watch on VHF Channel 16 when navigating the survey area at the Atlantic Marine Energy Test Site.

For maps, coordinates, safety information and contact details, see Marine Notice No 10 of 2023 attached below.

Geological Survey Ireland (GSI) and the Marine Institute have issued their schedule of hydrographic and geophysical survey operations to be undertaken by INFOMAR in the Celtic Sea, Atlantic Ocean, western coastal areas and Irish Sea areas between March and November this year, subject to weather and operational constraints.

The INFOMAR Programme (Integrated Mapping for the Sustainable Development of Ireland’s Marine Resource) is a jointly managed seabed mapping initiative between GSI and the Marine Institute, funded by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.

Covering some 125,000 sq km of underwater territory, INFOMAR will produce integrated mapping products covering the physical, chemical, and biological features of the seabed.

RVs Keary, Geo, Mallet, Galtee and Lir, operated by GSI, are expected to carry out survey operations in three areas: in the Atlantic Ocean, west of counties Kerry, Clare, Galway and Mayo; an offshore area northwest of Belmullet, Co Mayo and western coastal areas stretching from Galway Bay to Malin Head, Co Donegal; and the Irish Sea adjacent to the Ireland/UK border from east of Co Dublin to east of Co Wexford and in coastal areas of Co Dublin.

Meanwhile the RV Tom Crean, operated by the Marine Institute, is expected to carry out survey operations in the Celtic Sea, south of the 30-nautical-mile limit and potentially in the Atlantic Ocean west of Kerry, Clare and Galway, west of the 30nm limit.

For more details on these surveys, including scheduled dates and coordinates, see Marine Notice No 13 of 2023 attached below.