MMT Contracted for Pre-lay and UXO Survey

MMT informs it has been contracted by ABB to perform a pre-lay and UXO survey for a cable laying project between Caithness and Moray in northern Scotland. 

ABB will provide the Caithness-Moray high-voltage direct current (HVDC) power transmission link, which will connect the electricity grid on either side of the Moray Firth in northern Scotland. 

The survey work that MMT has been contracted is to ensure the route is clear from obstructions, UXO, pockmarks, boulders etc. that may affect and interfere with cable laying operations. The marine cable route length between Portgordon and Noss is 113 km.

The survey operations are planned to be conducted by MMT´s survey vessels M/V Franklin and SeaBeam. Seabeam will be used for coastal survey activities. The offshore geophysical survey will be performed with a hull-mounted multibeam echo sounder and a ROTV.

For the UXO survey MMT are using a transverse gradiometer, TVG, towed behind the ROTV. This is an excellent set-up in high current areas.

The Pre-lay and UXO survey will be performed in April 2016 and a post-lay survey is offered as an option for 2017.