Last weekend, disaster was narrowly averted when a floating oil tanker drifted dangerously close to a Dutch offshore wind farm. A collision was prevented, but it served as a stark reminder that energy, nature and shipping in the North Sea are becoming increasingly intertwined. According to reports, this was not the first serious collision threat involving the same wind farm in recent years.
The North Sea is one of the busiest shipping areas in the world. At the same time, the number of wind farms is growing rapidly in order to meet climate targets. This pressure on space has an impact on shipping safety: more infrastructure means more complex shipping routes, and therefore a greater risk of incidents when ships become unsteerable or veer off course in bad weather. The Department for Infrastructure and Water Management is therefore conducting a structural investigation into how safety around wind farms can be maintained.
Research commissioned by the Dutch government shows that an average of ~80 ships per year drift off course in the North Sea. With the planned roll-out of approximately 2,500 wind turbines by 2030, MARIN estimates that, without additional measures, the risk of a ship-turbine collision could increase to approximately 1.5 – 2.5 times per year. These estimates underscore the need for active risk management.
A frequently proposed measure is ‘guard rails at sea’. MARIN tested various concepts in the basin. Three systems were investigated to prevent a rudderless ship from entering a wind farm:
The three solutions have been built on a smaller scale and tested in the basin to measure their effectiveness and loads. The technology is not yet operational everywhere, but the urgency is evident.
A collision in or near a wind farm affects several public interests at once:
The recent incident illustrates how quickly such an incident can occur and why prevention and response plans must be up to date.
The North Sea is simultaneously a coastal defence, a nature reserve, a shipping route and an energy source. This multiple function can only remain safe if we link technology, procedures and policy. This weekend’s incident shows that the next safety step is not a luxury but a necessity.
Want to know more? Check out the following sources:
https://www.rechargenews.com/wind/drifting-oil-tanker-nearly-hits-north-sea-wind-farm-in-near-disaster/2-1-1882061?utm
https://noordzeeloket.nl/en/functions-use/offshore-wind-energy/shipping-safety-around-offshore-wind-farms-moswoz/
https://www.marin.nl/nl/news/vangrails-op-zee?utm
https://nos.nl/artikel/2421741-vangrails-op-zee-kunnen-botsing-met-windmolens-voorkomen?ut
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