Fugro has been awarded a contract by 50Hertz to deliver unexploded ordnance (UXO) survey, identification, and clearance services for the LanWin3 and LanWin6 offshore grid connection projects in the German sector of the North Sea
Identifying and addressing potential hazards will enable 50Hertz to prepare the routes for the safe installation of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cables connecting offshore wind farms to Germany’s electricity network.
LanWin3 and LanWin6 form part of Germany’s expansion of its offshore wind energy infrastructure. Once completed, each grid connection can transmit up to 2GW of offshore wind power, providing a combined transmission capacity o 4GW and bringing more renewable electricity from the North Sea into the national grid to create energy security and meet climate targets.
Thorough UXO survey and clearance activities will play a critical role in enabling the safe development of offshore infrastructure as an estimated 1.3 million tonnes of unexploded munitions remain in marine environments around the world.
Beginning in the second quarter of 2027, the UXO survey will cover 200m wide corridors along the LanWin3 and LanWin6 routes. The work will be conducted using two Geowing systems, Fugro’s fixed magnetic gradiometer arrays, each fitted with ten magnetic sensors to detect potential UXO and other objects on or beneath the seabed. The survey will also provide the Geo-data needed to map potential targets and create a master target list for further investigation.
Follow-on inspection and identification activities will take place in 2028, using remotely operated vehicle technology and specialist detection systems to investigate selected targets and remove debris where required. Fugro will also support the safe removal and disposal of any confirmed UXO in accordance with regulatory requirements, helping prepare the cable corridors for installation.
Ronny Bøhn, Fugro’s director of Marine Geophysics for Europe and Africa, said, “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 programme.”
