BBC Emerald sails to Pictou for Cape Sharp Tidal turbine

BBC Chartering’s multipurpose heavy-lift vessel Emerald has sailed to Pictou to pick up the second Cape Sharp Tidal’s turbine for replacement of a malfunctioning part.

Ship and ground crew will this week begin preparations to transport both the second turbine and its subsea base from the Pictou shipyard to Saint John, Cape Sharp Tidal informed.

“Once in Saint John, the BBC Emerald has a deck cargo capacity that will enable us to undertake the repair work on the first turbine.”

The operation is part of Cape Sharp Tidal’s work to replace a series of fastening components from inside the devices which were found to be malfunctioning back in August.

The first turbine was moved to Saint John mid-August for the replacement of the faulty component to ensure the long-term performance reliability of the turbines.

Cape Sharp Tidal, a joint venture created by Emera and OpenHydro, plans to install two 2MW tidal turbines in the Bay of Fundy.

The project has hit a stall when The Bay of Fundy Inshore Fishermen’s Association complained about the potential impacts of the turbines on the fish and Bay of Fundy’s ecosystem.

Cape Sharp Tidal decided to postpone the installation of the first turbine, which was set to take place in July, to conduct more consultations with the local fishermen.

According to The Chronicle Herald, the Inshore Fisherman’s Association filed for a stay to stop device installation until the February hearing review. The hearing for the stay is set for October 20, the Herald reports.

The exact date for the deployment of the turbines remains unknown.