Finnish agency Metsähallitus has chosen another state-owned operator, GTK, to carry out seabed surveys ahead of offshore wind tenders planned for 2024.
GTK was selected following a competitive tender to carry out the sonar based surveys.
The work will start in Närpes before moving on to Pyhäjoki, Raahe and Siikajoki around mid-July.
The area to be created for a single offshore wind power area is approximately 120 square kilometres to 230 square kilometres.
The water depth in the area is 10 metres to 45 metres.
The offshore wind power areas will be located in public water areas in the Gulf of Bothnia.
“Seabed sounding provides valuable information for the construction of offshore wind turbines and the placement of submarine cables, as well as for nature surveys,” said project development manager for wind power at MetsähallitusVille Koskimäki.
“In addition to the shape of the bottom, it is essential to define significant geological characteristics of the seabed, such as depths and soil thicknesses.
“The sounding data helps, for example, to find out where wind turbines or other offshore wind farm structures can be located and what kind of foundations are needed for wind turbines.”
GTK’s strength lies in decades of experience in studying sediments in Finland’s coastal area, where the data produced by acoustic-seismic soundings have been compared with several metre-long sample series drilled from the seabed.
Over the years, GTK has thus accumulated a unique seabed geodatabase against which sounding data from new research areas can be compared.
GTK’s tasks also include processing the data produced by sonar so that it can be used for permit applications, planning, assessment of seabed risks and informing the authorities of offshore wind power areas.