A geophysical survey is being undertaken in the North Irish Sea to provide site investigation information to facilitate the development of a wind turbine generator (WTG) array at the Setanta Wind Park.

The survey work for the offshore wind project was anticipated to start this past Monday 3 April and will be completed by next month, subject to weather and operational constraints.

The survey campaign will be confined to the proposed Setanta WTG Array site some 18km from Dunany Point in Co Louth at its most northerly point and Braymore Point in Co Dublin at its most southerly.

Works are being conducted by the Roman Rebel (callsign 2ICA5) and Lady Kathleen (callsign EIXT2) on a 24-hour and 12-hour basis respectively.

During operations, these vessels will be restricted in their ability to manoeuvre due to the deployment of the towed survey equipment. They will also display appropriate lights and signals.

All other vessels are requested to leave a wide berth during the operations. Mariners are also advised to keep continuous watch on VHF Channel 16 when navigating the area. A Fisheries Liaison Officer will be available to discuss operations throughout the duration of the survey campaign.

For contact details, coordinates and a map of the survey area, see Marine Notice No 20 of 2023 attached below.

The Department of Transport has been advised by Kish Offshore Wind Ltd and Bray Offshore Wind Ltd that geotechnical investigations will be conducted on the Dublin Array offshore wind farm project site off the coast of counties Dublin and Wicklow.

The project works will commence next Saturday 1 April and continue through to late May 2023, subject to weather and operational constraints.

The geotechnical investigation will include approximately seven boreholes which will be drilled at locations within the project work site.

Operations will be conducted by the Dutch Pearl (callsign PBZP), a support vessel/tug, and the Excalibur (callsign YJKQ5), a jack-up barge.

The Excalibur will be positioned at each of the investigation points for several days which may extend in the event of inclement weather. The Dutch Pearl will be assisting the Excalibur in its daily operations and towing the barge between investigation points. The standby tug will be at anchor on the project site and will be conducting transits between the site and Dublin Port.

Both vessels will display the relevant light and shapes as required under COLREGS. Both vessels will keep continuous watch on VHF Channels 16 and 72. During operations, the vessels will be restricted in their ability to manoeuvre. All other vessels are requested to leave a wide berth during the operations.

Contact details, relevant coordinates and a map of the work area ca be found in Marine Notice No 16 of 2023, attached below.

Mac Lir Offshore Wind Limited (MLOWL) is undertaking a geophysical reconnaissance survey within an area of survey off the coast of counties Wicklow and Wexford for a proposed offshore wind energy project.

The survey was expected to commence Sunday 12 March to be completed by Monday 10 April, subject to weather and operational constraints.

The purpose of the survey is to undertake a reconnaissance geophysical survey across an area of surveys that may be suitable for the development of the proposed Mac Lir Offshore Wind Farm (MLOWF).

Conducted by the RV Tom Crean (callsign EIYX3), the survey will be performed using a hull-mounted multibeam echo sounder, sub-bottom profilers, side-scan sonar, magnetometer, and towed ultra high-resolution survey (UHRS) system (with a maximum towed length of 500m).

The work vessel will run widely spaced lines across the planned area of survey on a 24-hour basis, weather dependent.

During operations, the work vessel will be restricted in its ability to manoeuvre. All other vessels operating within the planned area of survey are requested to keep their distance and pass at a minimum speed to reduce vessel wash.

The RV Tom Crean will display appropriate shapes and lights and will conduct communications on VHF Channel 16 with other ships and vessels to notify them of the operations.

Further details including a map, coordinates and contact information can be found in Marine Notice No 12 of 2023, attached below.

MERC Environmental Consultants Ltd and the Marine Institute are undertaking site investigation survey works at the Atlantic Marine Energy Test Site in Co Mayo.

The surveys are expected to be completed over a three-day period during the nearest available weather window which opened last Thursday 2 March, subject to weather and operational constraints.

Survey works include a benthic survey as well as geotechnical and geophysical surveys.

The survey campaign will be undertaken within the proposed Atlantic Marine Energy Test Site, consisting of two separate areas. Test Site A is 16km from Belderra Strand, and Test Site B is 6km from Belderra Strand on the Erris Peninsula.

The benthic survey work will be conducted by the Dúlra na Mara (callsign EIFS6) a shallow draft survey vessel. Meanwhile the survey vessel RV Celtic Explorer (callsign EIGB) will carry out geophysical and geotechnical site investigation works offshore at Test Site A and Test Site B and along the proposed cable corridor.

During operations the work vessels will be restricted in their ability to manoeuvre. All other vessels are requested to leave a wide berth during the deployment operations.

The survey operations will be conducted during daylight hours only. Mariners are advised to keep continuous watch on VHF Channel 16 when navigating the survey area at the Atlantic Marine Energy Test Site.

For maps, coordinates, safety information and contact details, see Marine Notice No 10 of 2023 attached below.

Geological Survey Ireland (GSI) and the Marine Institute have issued their schedule of hydrographic and geophysical survey operations to be undertaken by INFOMAR in the Celtic Sea, Atlantic Ocean, western coastal areas and Irish Sea areas between March and November this year, subject to weather and operational constraints.

The INFOMAR Programme (Integrated Mapping for the Sustainable Development of Ireland’s Marine Resource) is a jointly managed seabed mapping initiative between GSI and the Marine Institute, funded by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.

Covering some 125,000 sq km of underwater territory, INFOMAR will produce integrated mapping products covering the physical, chemical, and biological features of the seabed.

RVs Keary, Geo, Mallet, Galtee and Lir, operated by GSI, are expected to carry out survey operations in three areas: in the Atlantic Ocean, west of counties Kerry, Clare, Galway and Mayo; an offshore area northwest of Belmullet, Co Mayo and western coastal areas stretching from Galway Bay to Malin Head, Co Donegal; and the Irish Sea adjacent to the Ireland/UK border from east of Co Dublin to east of Co Wexford and in coastal areas of Co Dublin.

Meanwhile the RV Tom Crean, operated by the Marine Institute, is expected to carry out survey operations in the Celtic Sea, south of the 30-nautical-mile limit and potentially in the Atlantic Ocean west of Kerry, Clare and Galway, west of the 30nm limit.

For more details on these surveys, including scheduled dates and coordinates, see Marine Notice No 13 of 2023 attached below.

The Marine Survey Office (MSO) of the Irish Maritime Administration has completed a review of security risk assessments for vessels and ports engaged in domestic shipping operation on the Irish coast.

This review was conducted as part of the obligations under EU Regulation (EC) No 725/2004 – Enhancing Ship and Port Facility Security, which entered into force on 31 March 2004.

The objective of this Regulation is to introduce and implement measures aimed at enhancing the security of ships used in international and domestic trade, and associated port facilities within EU member states, in the face of threats of intentional unlawful acts.

Article 3.3 of the Regulation requires that member states shall, after a mandatory security risk assessment, decide the extent to which they will apply the provisions of this Regulation to different categories of ships operating on national domestic services, their companies and the port facilities serving them, and this is subject to periodic review.

Details of the maritime security measures to be applied as a result of this review are outlined in Marine Notice No 9 of 2023, which is available to read or download below. This notice supersedes Marine Notice No 61 of 2013 which is hereby revoked.

PSE Kinsale Energy Limited will be carrying out pipeline and debris clearance surveys commencing on or around Friday 17 February, weather depending.

The approximately 10 days of surveys will take place along the routes of decommissioned — but remaining in-situ — pipeline routes for the Kinsale Head and Seven Heads Gas Fields in the Celtic Sea and around the locations of removed subsea equipment and wellheads.

A number of surveys will be carried out during the campaign to confirm the status of decommissioned pipelines and umbilicals, which will be left in situ, and to confirm the location of any debris to be removed at the sites of decommissioned subsea facilities.

The surveys will be conducted by the State’s latest research vessel RV Tom Crean (callsign EIYX3), which will operate during day and night hours and will display appropriate lights and signals.

Within each of the defined survey areas, the vessel will be undertaking acoustic survey works using single/multi beam echo sounders and more.

All other vessels, particularly those engaged in fishing, are requested to leave a wide berth during the operations, pass at minimum speed to reduce vessel wash, and keep a sharp lookout in the relevant areas. The vessel can be contacted on VHF Channel 13.

Full details of relevant coordinates, a map of the campaign area and contact information can be found in Marine Notice No 4 of 2023, attached below.

Deep-water quay works have begun this week at Ros an Mhíl Fishery Harbour Centre in Co Galway, just weeks after the contractor was announced for the €30 million project.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the new Ros an Mhíl development will be accessible to large vessels such as Naval Service vessels, Marine Institute research vessels, marine survey vessels and marine leisure craft.

The works were set to begin on Monday 30 January, will be ongoing until December 2024 and include, but are not limited to, the following main elements:

• Construction of a new 200m-long quay wall structure, including all associated infilling and land reclamation;
• Construction of reclamation area of circa 2.4 hectares to act as a quay/storage hinterland area;
• Dredging of a 30m wide x 200m long berthing pocket adjacent to the new quay to a depth of -10.0m Chart Datum;
• Dredging of a navigation channel and turning circle to a depth of -7.0m A;
• Provision of all water and electrical services;
• Heavy-duty pavement surfacing to new quay structure area;
• Ancillary marine facilities and services; and
• Security and access arrangements for quay facilities.

The works are being advanced by civil engineering crews working from the adjacent lands, existing harbour infrastructure and from jack-up barges, pontoons, heavy civil engineering plant and machinery, work vessels and platforms. Divers are also employed on site.

For safety reasons, mariners are advised to proceed slowly and with caution in the approach channel to the inner harbour and within the inner harbour area and to give the works a clear berth. Wave-wash from vessels should be avoided.

For contact details and a plan of proposed works, see Marine Notice No 8 of 2023, attached below.

The first and second legs of this year’s Irish Anglerfish and Megrim Survey (IAMS 2023) will be carried out from Saturday 11 February to Tuesday 7 March.

Surveys will be conducted to the West, Southwest and South Coasts of Ireland by the Marine Institute in fulfilment of Ireland’s obligations under the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

IAMS is a demersal trawl survey consisting of approximately 110 otter trawls, each of 60 minutes duration, in ICES areas 7b, 7c, 7g, 7h, 7j and 7k.

Fishing in 2023 will take place within a three-nautical-mile radius of the positions indicated in Appendices 1 and 2 of Marine Notice No 02 of 2023, a PDF of which is attached below.

The survey will be conducted by the RV Celtic Explorer (callsign EIGB) which will display appropriate lights and signals. The vessel will be towing a Jackson demersal trawl during fishing operations.

The Marine Institute requests that commercial fishing and other marine operators keep a 3nm radius area around the tow points clear of any gear or apparatus during the survey period.

Further details are included in the Marine Notice below.

Marine Notice No 7 of 2023 advises of a safety notice issued by the Dutch Safety Board for rocket parachute flares relating to model L-35 or L-35A manufactured by LECEA Sistemas Pirotécnicos Avanzados, S.A. The manufacturer has also issued a recall notice.

All owners of a Red Rocket Parachute Flare from Pirolec, type L-35/L35A, batch 0525/2021–113 are requested to stop using flares from this batch and replace them. If in doubt, operators should contact the manufacturer at [email protected].

This safety alert follows a fatal incident onboard a Dutch vessel when a flare reportedly exploded prematurely during an attempted launch.

It is important to note that the SOLAS Convention requires no less than 12 rocket parachute flares, complying with the requirements of the Life-Saving Appliances Code, shall be carried and be stowed on or near the navigation bridge.