Controlled explosion clears wind farm site

The four man Ramora UK team used an ROV to place a countermining charge next to the 680kg mine, which had been assessed as high risk due to damage previously sustained by it. Throughout the procedure a 1,500m safety zone was maintained to protect other vessels in the area. A controlled explosion was then initiated from a safe distance, leaving an underwater crater 20m wide by 4m deep.

The German, ship-laid ground mine was detected in 35m of water some 33km off Harwich in eastern England, on the site of the Greater Gabbard Wind Farm which will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm when it is completed next year.

Ramora UK was contracted by the prime contractor on the project, Fluor, which had first called in the company for another mine found at the site in 2009. Ramora UK used elements of the REODS suite of equipment to dispose of the mines.

REODS reduces the human and commercial risks of EOD by removing the need for a diver. It is kept on 24/7 standby, is fully mobile, and can be rapidly deployed anywhere in the world transported in a 10ft container. If necessary it can move UXO to a safe location for disposal and it has already been used to dispose of many similar items.

Ramora UK’s systems and procedures allow for rapid, safe and compliant disposal of any UXO item in the maritime arena, while making safety and business continuity paramount. It is the first purpose-built remote EOD system available commercially and is built to ISO 9001 engineering standards.

Ramora UK managing director David Welch said, “The expansion of the offshore renewable energy sector is creating an increased requirement for rapid and safe disposal of the UXO that is very common in coastal waters. This mine was particularly hazardous because of damage that had occurred to its booster release mechanism. We are very pleased that our experienced operators were able to deal efficiently with it.”