McLaughlin & Harvey and SeaRoc to deliver new mooring system

McLaughlin & Harvey and SeaRoc are collaborating in order to deliver a mooring system that will enable the deployment of the SR2000 floating tidal turbine at EMEC test site.

The two companies have secured approximately GBP 1 mln in funding for the project that uses anchor drilling technology.

The funding was provided through a grant agreement with Carbon Trust, under the Scottish Government Marine Renewables Commercialisation Fund (MRCF), and Invest Northern Ireland.

Once completed, the project is expected to demonstrate McLaughlin & Harvey’s remotely operated seabed drilling technology.

SeaRoc will develop marine operations strategy using existing marine equipment to secure a platform at sea for McLaughlin & Harvey to deploy their equipment and carry out the drilling works.

The project partners will each make a contribution towards financing the project, and the developer of the SR2000 tidal turbine, Scotrenewables Tidal Power, will provide over GBP 450 000, the press release reads.

Adam Holland, Marine Renewables Manager at McLaughlin & Harvey, said: “Our goal here is to demonstrate a step change reduction in the cost of marine renewable energy installations using conventional, civil engineering techniques to deliver foundations in a novel application.”

Fergus Ewing, Scottish Energy Minister, commented: “The McLaughlin & Harvey and SeaRoc project is perfect example of Government and industry working collaboratively and across borders to develop innovative new concepts that will play a crucial part of cost reduction in the first array projects.”

Nick Murphy, Head of Wave and Tidal Projects at SeaRoc, added: “It is great to be part of this team, which brings together our complementary skills to deliver an integrated design for marine energy projects.”

SeaRoc is a Chichester-based company that provides marine, engineering and construction services for offshore renewable energy projects for the wind, wave and tidal energy sectors.

McLaughlin & Harvey is a Northern Ireland’s company involved in marine renewable energy sector, concerned with deployment of tidal energy devices including foundation installation, cabling and operation, and maintenance.