Maine Aqua Ventus and Alpine Ocean Seismic Survey will begin a subsea cable survey on 10 November, weather permitting, to examine the seabed between Port Clyde and the UMaine Deepwater Offshore Wind Test Site at Monhegan Island, Maine, US.
The geophysical survey is expected to be completed by 5 December and help determine cable path and assembly area for the 12MW Maine Aqua Ventus floating offshore wind project, also known as New England Aqua Ventus I, planned off of Monhegan Island.
The two-turbine Maine Aqua Ventus project requires a seabed survey of the cable route from the wind turbine array located approximately 4 kilometres south of Monhegan Island and running approximately 26km north to the Port Clyde area.
The seabed survey will be conducted by Alpine Ocean Seismic Survey, utilizing the R/V Shearwater and the M/V William M survey vessels.
The proposed cable and survey route follows an existing charted cable way specifically selected to minimize any impact on fishermen and fishing activities, the developer said. Other areas to be surveyed include the test site 3.7km South of Monhegan Island and Upper Penobscot Bay.
The survey will determine the seafloor conditions where the cable may be placed, to help design the cable and determine the cable installation methods. It will provide a geophysical picture of the seabed contours in addition to interpreting the geology which exists along the cable route. The survey will also determine the archeological significance of any potential artifacts that may reside on or below the seabed so that they can be avoided and protected.
The results of the survey will help to inform the Maine State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) of the archeological significance of the seabed.
The survey will be used to finalize permitting requirements for the installation of the transmission cable and identification of the turbine installation area, both designed to minimize impacts to the environment and the fishing community, Maine Aqua Ventus said.