Offshore Wind Energy Activities News

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary on Wednesday announced the successful digital acoustic tagging of 14 sei whales in waters offshore Massachusetts. This is the first time researchers have successfully tagged an endangered species in the United States using an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV), or drone. The data will help authorities to better inform offshore wind energy area selection.BOEM said that the collected data would shed important light on the whales’ acoustic behavior…

The increase in offshore activities means a lot of new work for the repair and conversion industry - and Shipdock is busily improving its position in this market: most recently with the lengthening of the GMS Endeavour’s four massive ‘legs’. New orders are streaming in at Shipdock Amsterdam from the rapidly growing offshore wind energy activities on the Dutch and British North Sea shelf. Serious financial and political support from the two countries make it possible to develop new wind turbine parks in deeper waters. The offshore wind industry has to keep up with continually improving technology;  5 MW turbines have become commonplace, so offshore vessels and jack-up barges need to be equipped to install them at sea.