7. Numbers and Movements of Vessels

7.1. Construction Vessels

  1. The number of vessels within the Proposed Development array area at any one time will vary during the construction period, with peaks in vessel activity reflecting the timing of major installation works.
  2. For each vessel type anticipated to be entering the Proposed Development array area, Table 7.1   Open ▸ presents the indicative number of vessels involved in construction, the main construction activities they will be involved in, and the anticipated number of return journeys (a transit to the Proposed Development array area, and then back to port) they will make (if available). It should be noted that the number of transits given is a best estimate based on the available information at the time of writing, and the actual numbers may differ during the construction phase.

 

Table 7.1:
Construction Vessel Activities Summary

Table 7.1: Construction Vessel Activities Summary

 

7.2. Operation and Maintenance vessels

  1. The number of vessels within Proposed Development array area at any one time will vary during the operation and maintenance phase, with peaks in vessel activity reflecting the timing of major maintenance works. Consequently, it is not possible at this time to provide precise numbers of vessel movements during the operation and maintenance phase. Estimates based on current information are provided in Table 7.2   Open ▸ .

 

Table 7.2:
Operation and Maintenance Activities Summary

Table 7.2: Operation and Maintenance Activities Summary

 

8. Indicative Transit Route Corridors

  1. The indicative transit corridors for the major construction vessels between the Proposed Development array area and the relevant construction ports are presented in Figure 8.1   Open ▸ .
  2. Note the indicative transit routes presented in Figure 8.1   Open ▸ are not intended to be prescriptive and are unlikely to be followed precisely by every vessel, however they are designed to give an indication to other users of the areas within which they may expect to encounter additional project construction vessels.
  3. All vessels shall passage plan as per the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) (IMO, 1974). In addition, vessels may take alternatives from these indicative routes for a variety of reasons, at the discretion of the vessels’ Master, including:
  • compliance with COLREGs as required;
  • prevailing weather, tidal, or sea state conditions;
  • navigational hazards as indicated on charts, or notified through NtMs or other such sources;
  • vessels originating from or bound for a destination not indicated by the indicative transit routes;
  • instructions from the marine coordination centre or other responsible persons in charge of coordinating and managing construction vessel traffic; and
  • any other reason the Master of a vessel may deem relevant for the purpose of ensuring the safety of theirs or another vessel.

 

 

[Indicative transit route figure to be added post application].

Figure 8.1:
Indicative Transit Routes

Figure 8.1: Indicative Transit Routes

9. Anchoring

  1. Figure 9.1 presents the locations of known anchorages in the vicinity of the Proposed Development based upon the local Admiralty Charts. Details pertaining to the anchorage areas noted in the Pilot Book [Pilot Book number to be added post application] are provided in Table 9.1   Open ▸ .
  2. Anchoring is at the discretion of the vessel Master but can be in conjunction with the information provided by the marine coordination centre or port authorities, where relevant; however, standard marine practice requires that when a vessel proceeds to anchor, consideration is given to:
  • water depth;
  • seabed type and charted hazards including cables/pipelines;
  • weather and tidal information including current and predicted weather;
  • avoidance of prohibited anchorage areas;
  • consideration of other anchored vessels;
  • avoidance of known areas of other marine activity such as fishing or recreational boating; and
  • avoidance of main commercial routes, pilot boarding area or other navigational features such as spoil grounds or subsea cables.
    1. All vessels associated with the Proposed Development will take the above into consideration prior to anchoring as per standard marine practice. Construction and operation and maintenance vessels requiring anchorage within the Proposed Development array area will request permission to do so from the marine coordination centre.

 

Table 9.1:
Summary of Anchorage Areas in Proximity to the Proposed Development

Table 9.1: Summary of Anchorage Areas in Proximity to the Proposed Development

 

  1. [Details of any prohibited anchoring areas in the vicinity of the Proposed Development to be added post consent]

10. Environmental Sensitivities Relevant to Vessel Managememt

  1. [This section will summarise the marine mammal and bird sensitivities relevant to vessel traffic associated with construction and operation of the Development (where applicable). This section will also describe the indicative vessel routes as detailed in section 8 above in the context of the environmental sensitivities].

11. Compliance With MGN 654

  1. [Details of relevant condition to be added post consent] require Berwick Bank Wind Farm to demonstrate that the NSP and VMP has adequately addressed all of the recommendations of MGN 654 (MCA, 2021) and its annexes that may be appropriate to the Proposed Development, or any other relevant document which may supersede said guidance prior to approval of the NSP and VMP.
  2. MGN 654 has therefore been reviewed and all appropriate recommendations (at this pre-construction stage of the development) have been identified. In each case it has been indicated where each of these recommendations has been addressed within this document (or other relevant consent plans) for the Development. The review summary is provided in annex A.

12. Compliance With the Application

  1. In addition to the offshore consent conditions presented in section 1.1 above, [relevant consent condition to be added post application].
  2. On this basis the relevant aspects and commitments of the Berwick Bank Wind Farm application are detailed in annex B.

 

[Designated anchorages Figure to be added post application)

Figure 12.1: Designated Anchorages in Proximity to the Proposed Development

13. References

IMO (1972/77). Convention on International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs) – Annex 3. London: IMO.

IMO (1974). International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). London: IMO.

MCA (2021). Marine Guidance Note 654 (Merchant and Fishing) Safety of Navigation: Offshore Renewable Energy Installations (OREIs) – Guidance on UK Navigational Practice, Safety and Emergency Response. Southampton: MCA.


Annex A Compliance with The Berwick Bank EIA Report

Table A.2: Compliance with The Berwick Bank EIA Report

Source

Mitigation

Where Addressed

[To be added post application]

 

 

 

 

 


Annex B MGN 654 Compliance

Table B.1 MGN 654 Compliance

MGN 654 Section

Checklist

Where Addressed

4.5 Site and installation coordinates

Developers are responsible for ensuring that formally agreed coordinates and subsequent variations of site perimeters and individual OREI structures are made available, on request, to interested parties at relevant project stages, including application for consent, development, array variation, operation and decommissioning. This should be supplied as authoritative Geographical Information System (GIS) data, preferably in Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) format. Metadata should facilitate the identification of the data creator, its date and purpose, and the geodetic datum used. For mariners’ use, appropriate data should also be provided with latitude and longitude coordinates in World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84) datum.

[To be added post application]

4.10 Assessment of access to and navigation within, or close to, an OREI

It should be determined to what extent navigation would be feasible within or near to the OREI site itself by assessing whether:

 

a. Navigation within and /or near the site would be safe:

i. for all vessels;

ii. for specified vessel types, operations and/or sizes;

iii. in all directions or areas;

iv. in specified directions or areas; or

v. in specified tidal, weather or other conditions.

 

b. Navigation in and/or near the site should be prohibited or restricted:

i. for specified vessel types, operations and/or sizes;

ii. in respect of specific activities;

iii. in all areas or directions;

iv. in specified areas or directions;

v. in specified tidal or weather conditions, or simply restricted; and

vi. recommended to be avoided.

 

c. Where it is not feasible for vessels to access or navigate through the site it could cause navigational, safety or routeing problems for vessels operating in the area e.g., by preventing vessels from responding to calls for assistance from persons in distress.

 

d. Guidance on the calculation of safe distance of OREI boundaries from shipping routes has been considered.

 

4.11 Search and Rescue (SAR), maritime assistance service, counter pollution and salvage incident response

a. An ERCoP will be developed for the construction, operation and decommissioning phases of the OREI.

 

b. The MCA’s guidance document Offshore Renewable Energy Installation: Requirements, Advice and Guidance for Search and Rescue and Emergency Response for the design, equipment and operation requirements will be followed.

c. A SAR checklist will be completed to record discussions regarding the requirements, recommendations and considerations outlined in the above document (to be agreed with MCA).

4.12 Hydrography

In order to establish a baseline, confirm the safe navigable depth, monitor seabed mobility and to identify underwater hazards, detailed and accurate hydrographic surveys are included or acknowledged for the following stages and to MCA specifications:

i. Pre-construction: The proposed generating assets area and proposed cable route;

ii. On a pre-established periodicity during the life of the development; and

iii. Post-construction: Cable route(s).

Post-decommissioning of all or part of the development: the installed generating assets area and cable route.

 

4.14 Risk mitigation measures recommended for OREI during construction, operation and maintenance and decommissioning

Promulgation of information and warnings through NtMs and other appropriate Maritime Safety Information (MSI) dissemination methods.

 

Continuous watch by multi-channel VHF, including Digital Selective Calling (DSC).

Safety zones of appropriate configuration, extent and application to specified vessels.

Provision of AtoN as determined by the General Lighthouse Authority (GLA).

Monitoring by radar, AIS, Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) or other agreed means.

Appropriate means for OREI operators to notify, and provide evidence of, the infringement of safety zones.

Creation of an ERCoP with the MCA’s SAR Branch for the construction phase onwards.

Use of guard vessels, where appropriate.