A pair of scientific deep-sea moorings have been redeployed at the Goban Spur off the southwestern continental shelf.
Further to the relevant Marine Notice posted in June 2020, the German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) has successfully recovered moorings EB-1 and EB-3 and redeployed them at new coordinates. Recovery is planned for 2022.
Both are free-falling moorings anchored by ~1,000kg bottom weights. Scientific instruments are attached at different depths to ropes and chains. Sub-surface floatation bodies will keep the moorings upright.
As this is sensitive scientific equipment, it is kindly requested that fishermen and marine operators engaged in such activities as bottom trawling or laying of static gear avoid the locations concerned to avoid damaging the equipment or damaging fishing gear.
Mariners should take note that neither of the moorings has a surface element or surface buoy. Top elements and floatation bodies have orange colours. The shallowest elements are located at depths of 700m (mooring EB-1) and 450m (mooring EB-3).
The top elements of both moorings carry radio and iridium beacons that only signal once the top element is at the surface.
Details of the locations of these dee-sea moorings and contact information are included in Marine Notice No 49 of 2021, which is available to download below.