Belgium company Marlinks has secured a contract to provide cable depth and temperature monitoring at the 370MW Norther offshore wind farm off the Belgian coast.
The work, which covers both the export and array cables, will utilise Marlinks’ Distributed Temperature Sensing technology.
This uses the power of optical fibre to continuously monitor the changes in temperature and burial depth with a high spatial resolution in order to react quickly at the first sign of failure.
Installation of the system has started and is expected to be completed in early 2021.
Norther executive director Thierry Aelens said: “Undersea cables are the Achilles’ heel in our business.
“We have chosen Marlinks as our monitoring partner because their data and models help us prevent such damage – a service worth millions.”
Marlinks chief executive Roel Vanthillo said: “We are very proud that Norther confided in us. It is a true vote of confidence for our technology and expertise.”
Norther started commercial operations earlier this year and comprises 44 MHI Vestas V164-8.4MW turbines.