Emu finds Thames Estuary wreck
Emu of Durley, Southampton UK reports the discovery of a previously unknown 45ml ong seabed wreck in the approaches to Foulger’s Gat in the Thames Estuary. Lying in 4.5m of water, its precise identity and circumstances of loss are not known.
Using sidescan and swath sonar imagery aboard its vessel, Discovery, as part of an 11 month series of pre-construction surveys for the London Array Wind Farm project and an export cable route in the outer Thames Estuary 20 km off the Essex and Kent coasts, Emu says the wreck lies just east of part of the proposed cable route. As a result, a new Archaeological Avoidance Zone has been established and further surveys will be required for re-routing part of the route.
Meanwhile, Emu further reports that it is currently undertaking a number of ecoological surveys for other undersea cable routes for wind farms and electrical supply developments in the Solent as well as northern and southern sectors of the North Sea. They involve sampling techniques comprising grab, trawl, video and stills photography for identifying habitat details along proposed cable corridors. Data is being processed and analysed in the company’s marine laboratories at Trafalgar Wharf, near Portsmouth.
