Fugro Secures UXO Survey and Clearance Work for German Offshore Grid Links
Fugro has secured a contract from 50Hertz to carry out unexploded ordnance (UXO) survey, identification and clearance work for the LanWin3 and LanWin6 offshore grid connection projects in the German sector of the North Sea.
The work will help prepare cable routes for the installation of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cables connecting offshore wind farms to Germany's electricity network.
The two grid connections will each have a transmission capacity of up to 2 GW, providing a combined capacity of 4 GW to deliver offshore wind power to the national grid.
Starting in the second quarter of 2027, Fugro will survey 200-meter-wide corridors along the LanWin3 and LanWin6 routes using two Geowing fixed magnetic gradiometer arrays, each equipped with ten magnetic sensors.
The systems will detect potential unexploded ordnance and other objects on or beneath the seabed, generating data to map potential hazards and establish a master target list for further investigation.
Follow-on inspection and identification activities are scheduled for 2028, using remotely operated vehicle (ROV) technology and specialist detection systems to investigate selected targets and remove debris where required.
Fugro will also support the removal and disposal of confirmed unexploded ordnance in accordance with regulatory requirements, helping prepare the cable corridors for installation.
“On a project of this scale, the challenge is that the number and nature of potential UXO can only be known once the survey is complete. Building a reliable picture of the seabed at an early stage will allow 50Hertz to plan the next steps with greater certainty and manage safety throughout the cable installation program,” said Ronny Bøhn, Fugro’s Director of Marine Geophysics for Europe and Africa.