Fugro Cuts Vessel Downtime During Rampion Cable Laying Ops

Fugro has set up a new track base unit on its work-class remotely operated vehicle (ROV) utilised in cable lay touchdown monitoring operations at the Rampion offshore wind farm.

The track base unit has been introduced to ensure cable positioning during cable lay operations in strong currents. The unit, fitted to the existing ROV frame, ensures the continuation of operations in strong currents by enabling the ROV to run along the seabed instead of flying through the water.

The unit was developed following another project for E.ON at the Humber Gateway OWF in 2015, where Fugro introduced a compact custom-made cable lay spread that included new 3D sonar technology to supplement ROV support and provide monitoring of cable touchdown.

In August, Fugro started cable laying operations at the Rampion site, off the UK’s Sussex coast, from its subsea construction vessel, the Fugro Symphony. At the beginning of the month the vessel had loaded the first phase of 57 cables (approximately 75 kilometres) at the cable manufacturer’s facility in Hartlepool.

Having joined the project in early September, another of Fugro’s specialist vessels, Fugro Saltire, is currently conducting cable burial using one of Fugro’s Q1400 trenching systems. The project installation is divided into two phases with the first phase due for completion in October this year. After a winter break the two vessels are schedule to resume installation of the remaining 65 cables in spring 2017 and completion is expected by summer 2017.