Operators of the North Irish Sea Array (NISA) offshore wind farm are undertaking a geophysical survey campaign on its proposed export cable route area, off the coast of north Co Dublin and Co Meath.
This campaign is expected to run from next Monday 12 September to continue until Wednesday 12 October, subject to weather and operational constraints.
The survey campaign will be confined to the proposed NISA Export Cable Route area. This area forms an irregular shape spanning 11km north-south and 18km east-west at its widest point. The survey area has two landfall areas close to Balbriggan and surveys will proceed as shallow as around three metres of water depth.
The survey will be conducted by the vessels Geo Focus (callsign PCOS) and Ros Áine (callsign EIZG5) in depths of greater than and less than 10m respectively, both working on a 24/7 basis.
The survey will utilise multibeam echosounders, sub-bottom profilers, side-scan sonar, magnetometer, both hull-mounted and towed. Typically, the towed cable lengths will be about four times the water depth while acquiring survey data.
Both vessels will display appropriate lights and signals. Mariners are advised to keep continuous watch on VHF Channel 16 when navigating the area.
As the survey vessels will be restricted in their ability to manoeuvre when surveying, due to the deployment of the towed survey equipment, all other vessels operating within this area are requested to keep a wide berth and pass at minimum speed to reduce vessel wash.
Contact details, coordinates and a map of the survey area are included in Marine Notice No 63 of 2022 amended, attached below.
This article was edited on Thursday 8 September to reflect the published amenment to the Marine Notice.