TEK Ocean Spirit getting ready for Marinus Link duty

Marine engineering geotechnical site investigation (MEGSI) of Australian Marinus Link, a proposed 1500 MW subsea and underground electricity connection between Victoria and Tasmania, is about to begin.

According to the project’s latest update, the vessel TEK Ocean Spirit, which will conduct the survey, is currently undergoing preparations with MMA Offshore.

The vessel will be conducting the survey on approximately 110 sites across the Bass Strait, in sea depths up to 80 metres.

To remind, MMA Offshore secured a $4 million contract to conduct underwater geotechnical surveys to refine the cable route for the Marinus Link project back in December 2021.

As informed at the time, this third marine survey will take between four to six weeks, depending on weather conditions, and cover 255 kilometres between Heybridge in northwest Tasmania and Waratah Bay in South Gippsland, Victoria.

The proposed Marinus Link interconnection involves approximately 255 kilometres of undersea HVDC cable and approximately 90 kilometres of underground HVDC cable.

Said to play a critical role in supporting the decarbonisation of Australia’s economy and the country’s transition to renewable energy, the $3 billion project is expected to cut at least 140 million tonnes of CO2 by 2050 and create at least 2800 direct and indirect jobs through construction.

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