Fugro’s geotechnical site investigation survey will be conducted using dedicated geotechnical DP2 vessels from its fleet (photo: Fugro)

Fugro has been awarded a geotechnical site investigation survey contract for the Hollandse Kust (zuid) Wind Farm Zone. This follows previous contracts awarded earlier this year for geophysical survey and metocean monitoring at the same site. The work will be performed using dedicated geotechnical DP2 vessels from the Fugro fleet. Taking place over a period of two months, it will result in an integrated geological/geotechnical soil model of the site.

The client is the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, part of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, who will use the results to provide future developers of the wind farm with crucial site information for their tenders. The site information acquired by Fugro will be made available to the participants in the SDE+ subsidy and permit tenders for the construction and operation of offshore wind farms in the Netherlands. The first tender for the Hollandse Kust (zuid) Wind Farm Zone is scheduled to close in the third quarter of 2017.

“This award recognises our capability to provide high quality independent and essential data in a relatively short time frame,” says Sven Plasman, Commercial Manager and Project Director at Fugro Engineers BV. “It underlines the specialised site characterisation support we provide for the offshore wind industry.”

The 356-square-kilometre Hollandse Kust (zuid) Wind Farm Zone is planned to be divided into four sites with each site capable of accommodating 350 MW.