Forewind has trialled new camera technology and a 20-metre crew transfer vessel on operations and maintenance trips to the met masts at the Dogger Bank Round 3 offshore wind zone.
The developer employed aerial inspection and survey contractor Cyberhawk to use the new camera to inspect the overall status of the met masts and condition of bolts, as well as the structure of the lattice towers.
Forewind said the use of remotely operated aerial vehicles “decreases the amount of working at height that is needed and therefore significantly reduces worker health and safety risks”.
It also utilised Tidal Transit’s Eden Rose crew transfer vessel, with the aim of determining how smaller vessels cope with operating at long distances from shore and in different wave and weather conditions.
The vessel travelled from the port of Sunderland to work on both Dogger Bank met mast east, approximately 100km from the coast, and the west met mast, sited 150km from the coast.
Forewind operations and HSE manager Nachaat Tahmaz said: “This trip was a positive signal for the potential use of similar sized vessels as part of operations and maintenance trips to Dogger Bank in the future.”
Image: Tidal Transit at Dogger Bank met mast east (Cyberhawk/Forewind)
