Fuinneamh Sceirde Teoranta (FST) will be undertaking both a geotechnical survey and geophysical survey for the Sceirde Rocks Windfarm Project in the Western Coastal Area (Connemara/Outer Galway Bay) and Atlantic Ocean, between Monday 15 April and Monday 10 June, subject to weather and operational constraints.

These surveys follow last September’s geophysical survey and will be undertaken by the multi-purpose offshore vessel Dina Polaris (callsign CQOF), which is fitted with a geotechnical drilling rig, and the research vessel Lady Kathleen (callsign EIXT2). Both vessels will operate up to 24 hours per day and will be displaying the appropriate lights and shapes.

During operations, the vessels will be restricted in their ability to manoeuvre. Therefore, passing vessels are requested to leave a wide berth during the deployment operations. Radio transmissions will be conducted with other seafarers to notify them of the operations. The vessels will be monitoring VHF Channel 16 at all times for safety purposes.

The equipment for each survey will be deployed within the bounds of the survey areas detailed in Marine Notice No 17 of 2024, attached below.

The Department of Transport has been advised by Fuinneamh Sceirde Teoranta (FST) that a geophysical seabed survey will take place in the Western Coastal Area (Connemara/Outer Galway Bay/Atlantic Ocean) between Tuesday 5 September and the end of October, subject to weather and operational constraints.

The work follows previously scheduled geotechnical and benthic surveys for the proposed Sceirde Rocks Windfarm in north Galway Bay off southwestern Connemara.

Surveying will be conducted by two vessels: the semi-SWATH catamaran Roman Rebel (callsign 2ICA5), and the Lady Kathleen (callsign EIXT2), a catamaran. Both vessels will conduct 24-hour operations and will display appropriate lights and signals.

During operations, the vessels will be restricted in their ability to manoeuvre. Radio transmissions will be conducted with other seafarers to notify them of the operations. All other vessels are requested to leave a wide berth during the surveys due to the nature of the operations and the work vessels’ limited manoeuvrability. Both vessels will be monitoring VHF Channel 16 at all times for safety purposes.

Coordinates of the survey locations as well as contact details can be found in Marine Notice No 54 of 2023, attached below.

The Department of Transport has been advised by Fuinneamh Sceirde Teoranta (FST) that benthic and geotechnical survey vessels will be deployed at the site of the proposed Sceirde Rocks Windfarm in north Galway Bay off southwestern Connemara.

The deployment will take place from this Saturday 29 July — as with the metocean survey previously reported on Afloat.ie — to the end of September, subject to weather and operational constraints.

The benthic survey will take place using the vessel Ocean Navigator (callsign EI018) which will operate in daylight hours. The geotechnical survey will take place using the vessels Geoquip Seehorn (callsign 5BSW) and Glomar Vantage (callsign HO3057) which will operate on a 24-hour basis.

Coordinates and a map of the deployment area as well as contact details can be found in Marine Notice No 47 of 2023, attached below.

The Department of Transport has been advised by Fuinneamh Sceirde Teoranta (FST) that a metocean survey comprising one large metocean buoy and two trawl resistant seabed frames will be deployed at the site of the proposed Sceirde Rocks Windfarm in north Galway Bay off southwestern Connemara.

The deployment will take place between this Saturday 29 July and the end of August, subject to weather and operational constraints.

Equipment will remain in place for up to 24 months, and periodic service visits to the equipment will take place throughout the survey period.

The metocean buoy has a hull diameter of 3.6m and focal height of 4m. The buoy is yellow in colour and displays a St Andrew’s Cross. It is mounted with one automatic identification system (AIS) unit (161.975 MHz) and one navigation light (sequence Fl(5) 20s, range 3nm).

The buoy is double moored using a mooring chain and sinker blocks. The anchor and sinkers will be placed approximately 200m away from the metocean buoy. The mooring line will consist of approximately 200m of chain per leg, partially suspended in the water column and partially laying on the seabed.

The trawl-resistant seabed frames are approximately one square metre each and will be unmarked.

This metocean equipment will be deployed from the ILV Granuaile (callsign EIPT), which will operate on a 24-hour basis. Throughout operations, the vessel will display the appropriate lights and shapes as required under the COLREGS Rule 27 (b).

During operations, the vessel will be restricted in its ability to manoeuvre. Vessels are requested to leave a wide berth during the deployment operations.

Radio transmissions will be conducted with other seafarers to notify them of the operations. All vessels will monitor VHF Channel 16 for emergency communications with other seafarers and then mutually agree another channel to switch to for further discussion as needed.

Coordinates and a map of the deployment area as well as contact details can be found in Marine Notice No 46 of 2023, attached below.