Geotechnical Seabed Survey Commences for Ørsted’s Mooir Vannin Offshore Wind Farm Project
A geotechnical seabed survey has commenced at the project site of Ørsted’s Mooir Vannin Offshore Wind Farm in the Isle of Man’s territorial waters.
Ørsted has appointed GEO to conduct the geotechnical survey six to twelve nautical miles off the coast of Maughold, within the area of lease granted by the Isle of Man government. The survey will be carried out using GEO’s Connector survey vessel.
Expected to take six to eight days, weather permitting, the survey is estimated to cost around £2 million (approximately €2.3 million), entirely funded by Ørsted.
The survey aims to assess the seabed areas to determine the geotechnical engineering properties of soils. It will include 20 seafloor Cone Penetration Tests (CPTs) and 20 dissipation tests. CPT involves pushing a small cone into the seabed to measure soil resistance and friction in different layers.
Ørsted assures minimal impact on the seabed as the test only affects a small, localized area, with the seabed naturally settling back post-test completion.
“We’re delighted to collaborate with GEO on the upcoming phase of seabed surveys in the Isle of Man. Their offshore survey expertise is well-regarded in the global energy industry, and we have a successful history of working together on other offshore projects,” stated Richard Watson, Technical Director for the Mooir Vannin Offshore Wind Farm.
“While the wind farm is subject to Isle of Man planning consent, conducting geotechnical surveys now is crucial to keep pace with all necessary work for the proposed operational start date in 2031-2033.”
Ørsted’s plan includes developing the first offshore wind farm in the Isle of Man’s territorial waters, off Maughold Head. The company submitted a Marine Infrastructure Consent application for the Mooir Vannin Generation Project in March 2025.
The connection point for the up to 1.4 GW offshore wind farm will be in Penwortham, Lancashire, UK, and the Douglas area in the Isle of Man.