Rovco, a leading UK-based provider of tech-powered offshore wind solutions, has been selected for site characterization work on the Outer Dowsing Offshore Wind project in the southern North Sea. The project is a joint venture between TotalEnergies, Corio Generation (a portfolio company of Macquarie Asset Management operating on a standalone basis), and Gulf Energy Development. With a planned installed capacity of 1.5 GW, it will be one of the UK’s largest offshore wind farms upon completion.

With the project scheduled to commence imminently, Rovco will be responsible for carrying out a full geophysical investigation of several key sites at Outer Dowsing Offshore Wind off the Lincolnshire coast. This will involve mapping both the seabed and sub-seabed conditions to identify hazards that may affect the future installation of wind turbines & subsea cables.

Rovco will also conduct benthic environmental surveys of the site, helping to better understand and minimize any disruption to local wildlife.

The work will be carried out by one of Rovco’s dedicated survey vessels, Glomar Supporter, which is permanently mobilized with the latest survey technology, providing a state-of-the-art survey solution. With a USV (unmanned surface vessel) onboard, it is equipped to deliver simultaneous data collection with instant upload to the vessel. This enables rapid processing of the data gathered and accelerates overall project timelines. The vessel also has a work class ROV for concurrent inspection activities.

The project highlights the rapid growth of Rovco’s marine characterization business, which launched in 2023 and provides a ‘one-stop-shop’ for site characterizations. Since its launch, Rovco has completed several projects, including the Cenos floating offshore windfarm in the second half of last year, consistently delivering work efficiently and cost-effectively.

Outer Dowsing Offshore Wind Survey Manager, Luis McArthur, said, “This work will be key to ensuring we design the Outer Dowsing Offshore Wind farm to the highest standards and with strong environmental stewardship. As we progress our engineering work, we aim to bolster the UK skill-base and supply chain, which will in turn help the UK reach net zero. We look forward to working with Rovco to add 1.5 GW of renewable power to the UK power mix, reducing emissions and improving UK energy security.”

Craig Davis, Director of Site Characterizations at Rovco, added: “The Outer Dowsing project is a significant milestone for our site characterization business. Placing environmental stewardship at the heart of projects is a core value we share with our partners, and we look forward to working together on this project. The industry has an urgent need for complete survey solutions that can support and accelerate the development of offshore wind, and we’re proud to be redefining the standard for high-quality survey work.”

Graham Bell, Head of Geoscience at Rovco, said: “We’re thrilled to have been chosen as a partner to conduct this vital survey work at of one of the UK’s largest offshore wind projects. Survey work has a critical role to play in accelerating the deployment of offshore wind. We’re pleased to be supporting our partners in realizing their ambitions for both environmental stewardship and for the future development of Outer Dowsing.”