A major emergency response exercise has tested the offshore renewables sector’s readiness for serious incidents at sea.
Organised by the Offshore Renewable Energy Emergency Forum, the two-day “Exercise Blyth” took place at the Moray East offshore wind farm and brought together Ocean Winds, Police Scotland, HM Coastguard, vessel operator Esvagt, turbine manufacturer Vestas and other stakeholders.
The scenario involved a simulated vessel collision with a wind turbine, resulting in one fatality, an injury and missing personnel. Real assets, including a search and rescue helicopter and onshore teams, were used to ensure realistic conditions.
The exercise tested coordination between industry, government and emergency services, focusing on communication flows, decision-making, and multi-agency command procedures.
Ocean Winds senior health and safety manager Gemma McDonald said: “Participating in Exercise Blyth gave us a valuable opportunity to truly test our emergency procedures and identify practical improvements.”
She added: “It also enabled government and emergency services to better understand how our industry operates in an emergency, strengthening joint protocols, terminology, and lines of coordination.”
Offshore Renewable Energy Emergency Forum chair Sarah Bray said: “Exercise Blyth represents a significant contribution to the continuous improvement of emergency preparedness and response in the renewables sector, aligning fully with the aims of OREEF itself.”
HM Coastguard head of operational procedures and information management Pete Lowson said: “Following the success of Exercise Sancho, it was a pleasure and a privilege to once again lead a fantastic team in the development and delivery of Exercise Blyth.”
He added: “I hope this exercise leaves a lasting legacy for the industry and was a positive experience for all involved.”