[Update – the information in this notice has been superseded by more recent notices. The 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 place for this project. This can be accessed via the project description page here.]
Mariners are advised that the vessels Normand Pacific and Jif Challenger are due to commence Post Lay Installation Burial Works along the Western HVDC Link cable route in the Firth of Clyde, starting in early February 2017. This update provides a brief summary of the detail included in the Notice to Mariners describing this work, which can be downloaded here.
Post Lay Installation Burial Works
Post Lay Installation Burial Works (PLIB) are due to be carried out by the Normand Pacific and Jif Challenger using a jetting tool. This will be used to bury sections of exposed cable. These have been identified in earlier Notices to Mariners and are also listed in the NtM about these works. Areas where jetting is not possible (such as service crossings) will be protected at a later stage in the project.
These works will be carried out along the completed sections of the cable route in the Firth of Clyde (Campaign 4). These are illustrated and listed in the NtM about these works. The work is due to commence in early February 2017.
Work in the shallower inshore sections of the cable route (up to 3.8km from the cable landfall) will be carried out by the Jif Challenger. The Normand Pacific will carry out the cable burial works along the rest of the route.
The notice to mariners describing this work can be downloaded here.
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:-
- Jif Challenger: Utility vessel | Call sign FIYA
- Normand Pacific: Multi Purpose Offshore Vessel | Call sign LAXI7
The vessel 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.
Rock Protection and Exposed cable locations
Rock protection work is being carried out on the cable route in the North Channel and the mouth of the Firth of Clyde. A Notice to Mariners has been issued describing this work and can be downloaded here.
There are several sections of exposed cable along the cable route including the planned cable crossing locations previously communicated through notice to mariners. These sections are currently being monitored by Guard Vessels which have been deployed locally.
To assist all mariners, a consolidated list of exposed cable locations (as of 22nd November 2016) has been compiled. This list is included as Table 2 in the notice to mariners that can be downloaded here.
Vessels are requested to pass at a safe speed and distance and fishing vessels are advised to remain a safe distance (approximately 1.5 nautical miles) from the areas identified. Guard Vessels have been deployed at each location to aid in monitoring the exposed areas and advise of safe distances locally.
The locations of these exposed sections are shown in Table 2 of the Notice to Mariners which can be downloaded here.
Guard vessels
Guard vessels have been stationed along the cable route during installation and burial to ensure the safety of marine users. They will remain in position until cable protection operations are completed to advise mariners of the location of exposed cable.
In areas where the cable crosses other cables and pipelines that are in service, the guard vessels will remain on station until cable protection has been completed in these locations (either through concrete mattressing or rock placement).
Notices to Mariners
The Notices to Mariners that are presently in place for this project are:-
- Post Lay Installation Burial Works – this is the notice described above. It was issued on 1st February and provides information about the cable burial work for Campaign 4 of the cable route which will start in early February 2017. The notice can be downloaded here.
- Post Lay Rock Placement Works – this notice was issued on 1st February 2017 and provides information about rock protection work for Campaigns 3 & 6 of the cable route which will be carried out between February and March 2017. The notice can be downloaded here.
- Post Lay Installation Burial Works – this notice was issued on 22nd November 2016 and provides information about the cable burial work for Campaigns 3 & 6 of the cable route which are being carried out between December 2016 and January 2017. The notice can be downloaded here.
- Rock Protection Areas and Exposed cable locations, Irish Sea – this notice is also described above. It provides an update on the locations of rock protection areas and exposed cable locations which are awaiting protection as of the 22nd November 2016. The notice can be downloaded here.
- Concrete mattressing – along the cable route concrete mattresses have been laid at crossings of existing cables and pipelines. A notice to mariners about the mattressing campaign conducted in 2015 can be downloaded here.
Earlier notices are all rescinded.
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.