Briggs Marine has been appointed to provide Walk-to-Work and CTV Vessel Coordination Services to support the construction and commissioning of the Northern and Southern Offshore Substations on the Neart na Gaoithe (NnG) Offshore Wind Farm, jointly owned by EDF Renewables UK and ESB.
Briggs Marine has secured a long term charter of a DP3 Offshore Support Vessel, “EDT Protea”, and is coordinating the 24-hour operation with its offshore personnel. The vessel has excellent sea-keeping capabilities, fundamental for safeguarding the programme by ensuring technicians can access the offshore substations throughout the construction phase.
Briggs Marine will draw on its 50 years of experience in delivering marine vessel operations to oversee the safe transfer of up to 50 technicians from the vessel’s high-standard accommodation to NnG’s substations. This will be achieved utilising the SMST telescopic Access Bridge (TAB) which enables a safe and secure transfer through a motion compensated system.
Working alongside EDT Protea, Briggs Marine’s Crew Transfer Vessel (CTV), “Forth Engineer”, a market leading Damen 2610, will provide Crew Transfer Vessel (CTV) services in support of the programme for technicians across the wider site and to shore.
Craig English, Director of Subsea and Environmental, said “We are delighted to be providing NnG with Walk-to-Work and Vessel Coordination Services over the coming months. This is a crucial element of the construction and commissioning process and key to bringing the wind farm a major step closer to generating and exporting energy to the grid. Having recently secured a contract to provide Crew Transfer Vessel (CTV) services for NnG Offshore Wind Farm, this presents an exciting opportunity for Briggs Marine to demonstrate its capabilities and services in the offshore wind sector.”
He continued: “Briggs Marine holds a strong reputation in the Renewables Industry, providing Subsea Cable Installation, Maintenance and Repair, Aids to Navigation (AtoN), Marine Survey, Vessel Management, Vessel Charter, Environmental Response, Statutory Inspection, Commercial Diving and subsea Inspection and Engineering. With our head office on the Forth estuary, and bases in Aberdeen and Nigg, we are well placed to provide support to NNG and other east coast windfarms, and are pleased to be providing the project with significant local content.”