Exclusion Zone off Bawdsey

[PeterR]

I may have missed something in notices to mariners but I was taken by surprise yesterday when I was heading north, close hauled and quite close to the shore about a mile north of the Deben entrance, just past the Bawdsey Manor estate. What I took to be a blue and yellow fishing boat that had been stooging around about a mile offshore picked up speed and came tearing towards me telling me I had to stay 500 metres clear of a small group of red buoys (well offshore from me) that looked like rather closely spaced fishing buoys. As I was already plugging both wind and tide a diversion of nearly a mile out to sea when I was only out for a days sail was not on. I just turned around and went back to the Orwell. If I have missed something in notices to mariners I am not alone. A convey of boats - probably leaving the Ore - came down from the North and the guard boat steamed of like a headless chicken trying to intercept them all. Some he managed to divert out to sea some probably not.
I have seen notes that say a power cable from the Greater Gabbard Wind Farm is due to come ashore at Bawdsey so I suppose it must be something to do with that but I have not seen anything about an exclusion zone and chasing people half a mile off from a bunch of buoys that no one is working on seems a bit much. Stopping trawling I could understand but a yacht?

 

[Plum]

I may have missed something in notices to mariners but I was taken by surprise yesterday when I was heading north, close hauled and quite close to the shore about a mile north of the Deben entrance, just past the Bawdsey Manor estate. What I took to be a blue and yellow fishing boat that had been stooging around about a mile offshore picked up speed and came tearing towards me telling me I had to stay 500 metres clear of a small group of red buoys (well offshore from me) that looked like rather closely spaced fishing buoys. As I was already plugging both wind and tide a diversion of nearly a mile out to sea when I was only out for a days sail was not on. I just turned around and went back to the Orwell. If I have missed something in notices to mariners I am not alone. A convey of boats - probably leaving the Ore - came down from the North and the guard boat steamed of like a headless chicken trying to intercept them all. Some he managed to divert out to sea some probably not.
I have seen notes that say a power cable from the Greater Gabbard Wind Farm is due to come ashore at Bawdsey so I suppose it must be something to do with that but I have not seen anything about an exclusion zone and chasing people half a mile off from a bunch of buoys that no one is working on seems a bit much. Stopping trawling I could understand but a yacht?

The guard boat appears to be RESILIENTT GUARD VES and there is a stationary tug/workboat further in shore that arrived today, JULY 1, 2025

 

[shanemax]

One is a fishing boat, the other is an anchored tug. tues 01/07/25 6.12 pm

 

[tillergirl]

I am afraid I should have been monitoring the right website and I wasn't I had been monitoring the North Falls Wind Farm website and that wasn't the right one and was also very quiet.

The works are for the East Anglia 3 from the Scottish Power Renewables. I have found the right part of their website for local NtM's and there are quite a few from which I will provide important details:

NTM009/2025 - Notification of Guard Vessel:
1.1. Summary:
Mariners are hereby advised that circa the 01/03/2025 the guard vessel ‘Tess’ will commence guard duty operations at the East Anglia Three Offshore Windfarm area set out in section 2 of this document.
During the construction of East Anglia Three OWF, all vessels are requested to keep a 500m safety distance from all offshore construction vessels.
1.2. Activity Description:
The guard vessel ‘Tess’ will monitor vessel traffic in and around the East Anglia Three Offshore Windfarm 24hours a day, 7 days a week. The vessel will broadcast regular navigational warnings and will contact any non-project vessels they believe could cause potential hazards, risk of collision, or cause an interruption to project vessels or assets.
1.3. Program Schedule:
Weather permitting, guard vessel duties will be conducted on a continuous basis (i.e., 24-hour working, seven days a week) until the end of the construction period.
The guard vessel ‘Tess’ will monitor VHF Channel 16 and VHF DSC Channel 70 continuously throughout the operation as well as project specific radio channels.
NTM023/2025 - Export Cable Dredging (Nearshore)
1.1. Summary:
NKT will carry out nearshore intervention works in support of the installation on the East Anglia Three Export Cable in the Export Cable Corridor in the vicinity of Bawdsey approximately 800 metres from shore. Locations for works are identified in section 2.1 of this document. Diving operations will be carried out onboard the vessel “Isle of Jura”, excavation operation will be carried out by the “Abeko Server 2”, and Survey works & Crew Change operations will be conducted by “Seafast Don”
All vessels are required to maintain a minimum of 500m separation distance from the Isle of Jura and Abeko Server 2 and pass at reduced speed. It is further requested that all vessels give the Seafast Don a wide berth and pass at reduced speed when the vessel is engaged in survey activities.
This was for the period 15-05-25 to 31-05-25 so finished.
NTM029.2025 - Export Cable Guard Vessel Deployment
1.1. Summary:
Please be advised that NKT will be deploying Guard Vessels along the East Anglia THREE Offshore Export Cable Corridor as detailed in Section 2.2 of this document for protection of the pre lay matrasses and to
protect the cable bundle from the start of cable lay until the cable is adequately protected by means of trenching or rock placement. All Marine traffic is advised to exercise caution when the vessels are operating in the locations set out in section 2.1.
1.2. Activity Description:
The primary purpose of the guard vessels is to protect the exposed cable along the East Anglia 3 Export Cable corridor by monitoring and issuing warnings to marine traffic operating within 6Nm of the construction
area with a Closest Point of Approach (CPA) < 1.5Nm. More specifically, the focus will be on those vessels with potential to be engaging in bottom contact activities such as fishing and anchoring, as these activities
pose a risk not only to the exposed cable bundle but also to the vessels themselves. The guard vessels will be clearly marked and display a highly visible "GUARD" sign on each side. Exchange of vessels on site will ensure the relevant section of cable is never left unguarded. In sections where cable protection has been completed, guard vessels will be released, and sections will be
opened up for fishing or use of other of equipment with seabed intervention. This may not necessarily be in a sequential order from shoreside outwards.
1.3. Program Schedule:
Works are expected to commence weather permitting circa the 20/05/2025. The vessels will operate 24hrs, in all but extreme weather Approximately 7 guard vessels will be used in the period from 20/05/2025 until completion. Durations at each location will depend on progress of the cable installation, trenching and rock placement operations. Not all the vessels are expected to be used concurrently
NTM033.2025 - Export Cable Installation.
1.1. Summary:
Mariners are advised that NKT will conduct cable installation through Simultaneous Laying and Burial (SLB) along the East Anglia THREE export cable corridor. NKT will utilise the vessel ‘NKT VICTORIA’ for cable laying operations.
All marine traffic is advised to maintain a 1000m safety zone around ‘NKT Victoria’ during operations and pass at a reduced speed.
1.2. Activity Description:
Simultaneous Laying and Burial will be conducted between KP4.0 – KP148.0 as indicated in section 2.1 of this document. Inspection operations will be performed at third-party asset locations where applicable.
During operations, NKT Victoria will have restricted manoeuvrability as defined under COLREGs (International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972). The vessel will display appropriate day shapes and lights and will transmit an Automatic Identification System (AIS) message.
‘NKT Victoria’ will monitor VHF Channel 16 and VHF DSC Channel 70 continuously throughout the operation.
1.3. Program Schedule:
Victoria is expected to mobilise from the port of Karlskrona, Sweden on 14/06/2025. It is currently anticipated that weather permitting, works will be conducted on a continuous basis (i.e., 24-hour working, seven days a week). Completion of operations will be notified via future notice to mariners.

There are details in each and other NtMs and a weekly schedule of Operations whish it working on the actual Farm and on the cable laying. There was a UKHO Preliminary notice showing the cable laying details. The image with the NtM is currently too large to place here so goto Notices to Mariners and scroll down to week 13 and you will find NtM 1353(P) and can download the route. There will be restrictions all the route where there is activity. At the moment to NtM are not precise as to the locations along the route.

I shall read on........

 

[tillergirl]

The website appears to have a weekly 'Notice of Operations' which tells us what they HAVE DONE in the past week! In fairness, it does talk of 'continuing'.

At the moment there are four vessels adjacent to the 'Nearshore' works:
Isle of Jura, Resilient Guard Vessel, Abeko Server 2 and the NKT Victoria.

Isle of Jura - "HDD Pull Dive Support (Nearshore): The Isle of Jura is expected to return to the East Anglia THREE Export Cable Corridor circa 01/07/2025 to continue dive support operations. Isle Of Jura will also assist the NKT Victoria with cable pulling operations."
Resilient - Export Cable Guard Vessel: "Resilient will continue with guard vessel duties along the East Anglia THREE export cable corridor."
Abeko Server - Export Cable Dredging (Nearshore): "The Abeko Server 2 will continue with HDD excavation operations along the East Anglia THREE Export Cable Corridor (nearshore)."
NKT Victoria - Export Cable Installation: "The NKT Victoria will commence survey works prior to Export Cable Installation operations within the East Anglia THREE Export Cable Corridor. Seven rigid inflatable boats will assist the NKT Victoria during the initial stages of Export Cable Installation:
• VIPER – Call sign – 2EDS8 – MMSI- 235084238
• CANBERRA - Call sign - 2EDS7 - MMSI - 235084237
• TRISTAR - Call sign - 2FQW9 -MMSI - 235093497
• TYPHOON - Call sign - 2DPX6 - MMSI - 235081064
• DAKOTA - Call sign - 2FQW8 - MMSI - 235093496
• CATALINA - Call sign - 2FQW6 - MMSI - 235093494
• PHANTOM - Call sign - 2FBM3 - MMSI – 235089863"

I can find no specific talk of an exclusion zone but there is a sensible request for a 500m safety distance above. Given there is talk of dive support I guess we can assume that the 7 rigids are for divers and we ought stay well clear. And the Guard Boat would want to clear ahead as well.

 

[shanemax]

Cable layers on scene now. 14.36 02/07/25