Viking Link Developers Seek UXO Hunters

Energinet.dk and National Grid Viking Link Ltd. have invited tenders for unexploded ordnance (UXO) survey, inspection and removal services along the route of the Viking Link HVDC interconnector between Denmark and the United Kingdom.

The UXO survey and inspection is to be carried out to reduce the risk level at the installation areas in the Danish and UK North Sea to As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP). The companies do not expect any activities in the Dutch or German North Sea zones.

The scope of the assignment will include UXO marine survey offshore Denmark as well as UXO marine, intertidal and near shore survey off the UK. The contract also covers the inspection of selected targets and removal of confirmed UXOs off Denmark and the UK.

The marine activities of the geophysical survey are requested to be completed before end of July 2018. The inspection and removal activities are requested to be delivered within the second quarter of 2019.

The tender remains open until 22 September.

The Viking Link is a proposed 1,400MW HVDC electricity link between the British and Danish transmission systems, connecting at Bicker Fen substation in Lincolnshire and Revsing substation in southern Jutland, Denmark. The interconnector is approximately 760 kilometres long, with the marine section covering around 635 kilometres.

The developers expect to make the Final Investment Decision for the project in 2018 and the link is expected to be operational by 2022.