GMS to Provide Marine Coordination Service for Thornton Bank OWF

Green Marine Solutions (GMS) has signed a contract to introduce its ground-breaking marine coordination service to C-Power’s 325.2MW Thornton Bank Wind Farm operating 30 miles (48 km) off the Belgian coast.

GMS will help C-Power by examining every aspect of offshore operations and maintenance. It will then upgrade working practices to both improve the financial bottom-line and make life easier at sea. Uniquely, GMS will also provide C-Power with a marine coordination training package to develop its own staff expertise, plus on-going support and auditing.

“This is a change in professional marine coordination. Previously, GMS would do the work for our clients. Now C-Power’s own personnel will be trained thoroughly to carry out O&M activities as a competent in-house resource,” explains GMS Operations Director, Richard Pargeter.

GMS plans to roll out this model across Europe where operators are working hard to meet demanding renewable power generation and binding CO2 reduction targets for EU member states. C-Power is expected to provide 7% of the renewable energy Belgium will need to meet its 2020 commitments.

“Our goal is to make operators much more aware of opportunities in the offshore environment,” says Pargeter. “The GMS approach is to actively highlight inefficiencies and show how it is possible to do much better very cost-effectively. C-Power welcomes this.

“From the word go, we will get really close to C-Power’s wind farm operations. We believe our role is to ask questions and widen the scope and benefits of pro-active involvement of all aspects of the operation,” he adds.

“Inertia tends to rule the wind industry. We understand the problems and pressures offshore. Our extensive practical experience from large offshore projects, such as Greater Gabbard, allows us to review essential documentation and the documentation process. This gives us key insights.

“GMS can then put a strategy into place to identify causes and effects. We look at processes, work-flows, work scopes and better working practices.

“Traditionally, marine coordination has been a robotic task of recording, logging and reporting incidents. We still do this. However, we also anticipate difficulties and take mitigating measures – both coordinating operations and doing the work,” he concludes.

Justin Moseley, MD of GMS, said: “We can add local content and create economic benefits for the local area.”

“We see moving into Europe as essential because the UK wind industry is currently challenged. Predicted investment levels have not yet materialised as a result of low investor confidence. This must change. Investors don’t stand still. We hope it is temporary.”

Press release, April 29, 2014; Image: GMS