50Hertz looking for UXO team for Ostwind 3 offshore grid project

German offshore transmission system operator (TSO) in charge of the Baltic Sea infrastructure, 50Hertz, has opened a tender for unexploded ordnance (UXO) operations on the cable route of the Ostwind 3 project.

The work scope encompasses provision and operation of all assets necessary for the UXO campaign works, including reporting and interfacing with the employer and an UXO expert.

The campaign consist of survey, identification and removal of non-UXO within the offshore site North-East of the island of Rügen, close to the existing Arkona Becken and Wikinger offshore wind farms.

The objective of the UXO campaign is to mitigate the risk present in the cable installation corridor(s) to ensure a safe installation of the Ostwind 3 export cable(s) and offshore substation, including all route clearance and route preparation activities such as boulder clearance, pre-lay grapnel run, dredging and anchoring.

The tender is open for applications until 19 May.

Ostwind 3 is the third offshore project for the grid connection of the wind farm areas to the north-east of Rügen island, following Ostwind 1 and Ostwind 2. The wind farm area connecting to Ostwind 3, designated as O-1.3, is located in the area Westlich Adlergrund, north of the operating wind farms Wikinger and Arkona from 50Hertz’s operational grid connection project Ostwind 1.

The wind farm area O-1.3 does not have a name yet as the area can only be auctioned and named by interested parties in 2021, as prescribed by the German Offshore Wind Act, according to 50Hertz.

Ostwind 2, which will connect the Arcadis Ost 1 and the Baltic Eagle offshore wind farms to the German high voltage grid, is currently under construction with the first cable section installed in March.