Mariners are advised that survey operations are due to be carried out by the vessel Northern Storm at 10 turbines and along inter-array cables within the Gwynt y Môr Offshore Wind Farm off the North Wales coast during August 2026. A Notice to Mariners about these operations is summarised below and can be downloaded here.
Survey operations
The Northern Storm is due to be carrying surveys in two phases within the Gwynt y Môr Offshore Windfarm area. The survey will start on the 14th of August and is expected to take approximately 3 weeks (subject to weather and sea conditions).
Phase 1 of the survey shall be conducted in a 300m x 300m box centred on the 10 turbines listed in Notice to Mariners that can be downloaded here.
Phase 2 of the survey will examine over 50 inter-array cables running between turbines in the wind farm. These are all listed in the Notice to Mariners that can be downloaded here.
The location, latitude and longitude of all of the the turbines in the windfarm can be seen on the Kingfisher Awareness Chart here.
This work is being carried out under Marine Licence number 11/52/ML/4.
Vessel details
Northern Storm is a monohull survey vessel measuring 26m in length by 6m in width, with a dark hull and white superstructure. The vessel details and a link to its present location are given below:-
- Northern Storm: survey vessel | Call sign MISA7
When at the specified locations the vessel will be towing equipment and restricted in the ability to manoeuvre. Mariners are requested where possible to maintain a 500m exclusion area around the survey vessel.
The vessel will monitor VHF Channel 16 at all times.
Details of this work are specified in the Notice to Mariners that can be downloaded here.
Notices to Mariners
Mariners are advised that the following Notices to Mariners have been issued for the Gwynt y Môr windfarm and export cable and remain current:-
- Gwynt y Môr offshore windfarm: risk of cable exposure – this notice was issued in September 2021. It advises mariners that there are areas where cables may be exposed within the windfarm array, and that these areas are subject to change in response to tidal and weather effects on the seabed. The information in this notice, as well as links to advice on fishing near cables and renewable energy structures and links to the cable array map for the windfarm can be accessed here.
All other Notices to Mariners have been withdrawn.
Please contact Jim Andrews, Fishery Liaison Officer by e-mail or phone (+44(0)7908-225865) if you have any queries or concerns about this notice.