Venterra’s GeoForce joins Reach Subsea on second Shetland HVDC link

March 25, 2026, by Nadja Skopljak

Norway’s Reach Subsea has appointed GeoForce Technical Services, part of Oceanscan and the wider Venterra Group, to deliver the geotechnical component of a bigger offshore survey campaign for the second 525 kV HVDC cable link between Shetland and the Scottish mainland, known as the Shetland HVDC Link 2.

Shetland 2 will connect 330 kilometers between Shetland and the mainland to bring 2 GW of renewable electricity to Great Britain’s network, which forms part of the latest strategic transmission network plan “Beyond 2030” where a total £5 billion investment by SSEN Transmission is expected in the north of Scotland by 2035.

The six-month campaign began in late February and will continue until August.

GeoForce will deliver specialist geotechnical acquisition and analysis, including seabed characterization, sediment analysis and core penetration testing, enabling a higher‑resolution understanding of subsurface conditions and de‑risking engineering decisions ahead of cable installation.

“We’re proud to support Reach Subsea on a project of this scale and national importance. By delivering fast, accurate geotechnical insight, we help transform complex seabed conditions into confident engineering decisions – strengthening the UK’s future transmission network and contributing to a more resilient, clean‑energy system,” said James McDonald, Managing Director of GeoForce.

“This award reflects the depth of our continued collaboration with Reach and the trust placed in us to support SSEN Transmission’s future network ambitions.”

The cable for the Shetland 2 project will be delivered from Sumitomo’s manufacturing facility, currently under construction in Nigg, in the northeast of Scotland.