[Update – the work described below has now been completed. This notice remains as part of the historical record of notices issued for this project. Please refer to the most recent notice for an up-to-date record of the notices presently in force for this project. This can be accessed via the project description page here.]
Mariners are advised that cable laying work on the Western HVDC Link is due to resume shortly. A Notice to Mariners advising of this work was issued in May and an updated version can be downloaded here . A summary of the notice and an update on the cable laying schedule is provided below.
Cable Installation Schedule
The first deep water cable installation campaign is now due to start on or around the 12th July 2015. This work will commence approximately 37km from the Wirral end of the cable and continue towards the Isle of Man for about 120km.
Installation work will be carried out by the cable laying vessel Giulio Verne, accompanied by the vessel Go Pegasus. The Go Pegasus will follow the Giulio Verne at a distance of approximately 500m, and will tow a cable burial plough, providing for simultaneous burial.
Two separate cables are due to be installed, and will be laid approximately 30m apart from one another. Each cable will be laid separately. The cables will each be simultaneously buried along their entire length, except where the cables cross existing cables or pipelines. At these crossings, guard vessels shall monitor the cable until appropriate post-lay protection (with concrete mattresses or rock placement) can be installed. The cable crossing locations are:-
- Hibernia Cable: 53°45.058’N 003° 48.853’W
- Sirius South Cable: 53° 43.574’N 003°48.733’W
- ESAT2 Cable: 53° 42.492’N 003° 48.646’W
- PL1030 Pipeline: 53° 31.491’N 003° 34.852’W
- PL1032/1033 Pipeline: 53° 31.490’N 003° 34.840’W
(Note: all positions referenced to WGS84 datum).
Prior to cable laying, the vessel Go Pegasus will conduct a pre-lay survey and conduct a Pre-Lay Grapnel Run along the cable routes. This is due to commence on or around the 14th July 2015.
Giulio Verne will also recover one of the two cable installed as part of the shallow water cable installation last year and make a joint between this cable and the one aboard the vessel.
Please note that installation dates are approximate and could be affected by project progress and weather conditions.
Vessel details
Details of the vessels involved in these operations, along with their present location can be found on MarineTraffic.com via the links below:-
- Giulio Verne: Cable layer | Call sign IBPU
- Go Pegasus: Tug / supply vessel | Call sign V7CE4
- Surf Ranger: Multi purpose offshore vessel | Call sign V7FU2
Vessels will be monitoring VHF Channel 16 throughout the operation.
The vessels involved in this work will be restricted in their ability to manoeuvre and other vessels are reminded to navigate with caution in their vicinity and pay strict attention to instructions issued to them by navigation authorities.
Notices to Mariners
The Notices to Mariners currently issued for this project are:-
- Deep Water Cable Installation – this is being carried out by the vessel Giulio Verne, starting in July 2015. The Notice to Mariners can be downloaded here .
- Concrete mattressing – along the cable route concrete mattresses have been laid at crosssings of existing cables and pipelines. A notice to mariners about the mattressing campaign conducted earlier this year can be downloaded here.
If you have any queries about the Western Link project, please contact Jim Andrews, Fisheries Liaison Officer by e-mail or by phone on +44(0)7908-225865.