By Offshore Marine Management
Marine solutions company, Offshore Marine Management (OMM) is undertaking guard vessel provision, coordination and project management services under its awarded contract for the BorWin1 power cable by Transpower Offshore (formerly E.ON Netz Offshore GmbH) from Germany.  The contract involves the supply of up to 11 guard vessels for the 120km cable route between Norderney and the BorWin Alpha platform in the German Bight sector of the North Sea, to satisfy the stringent safety requirements of the German authorities. The power cable will ultimately provide power distribution to the German national grid from the to be installed Bard Offshore 1 wind farm.  The route in particular crosses two extremely busy traffic separation zones requiring constant vessel traffic monitoring and warning broadcasts.
The fleet of OMM provided guard vessels are being utilised to guard the Team Oman (cable installation vessel) and Edda Fjord (trenching and post inspection vessel), under contract to Transpower by Global Marine Systems Ltd. and ABB.  Additionally, the guard vessels are providing maritime and cable safety/ security for exposed cable sections prior to trenching, cable ends, five live cable/ pipeline crossings with installed mattress protection and the recently installed BorWin Alpha platform.  The supplied guard vessels cover 3 categories of specification according to speed, maritime equipment provision and endurance requiring significant planning, coordination and management to provide a high quality, competent and efficient service to the client.
OMM provide a vessel chartering service and through the wealth of contacts and expertise in this area, allows the company to offer a comprehensive guard vessel service to its client base.
On being awarded this extensive guard vessel contract, Eckhard Bruckschen (OMM's Operations & Senior Project Manager) stated “This further contract award by Transpower to Offshore Marine continues to enhance our growing reputation not only with Transpower, but also within the renewable energy sector for providing high quality services to our client base. OMM are continuing to expand at pace and is showing little, if any signs of slowing in the near future. Our offshore activities within the operational sectors of the renewable energy and submarine telecoms markets are projected to increase significantly during 2010, on an already highly successful 2009. The introduction this year of guard vessel services to our clients only further strengthens our position moving forward”
Operations are being conducted throughout June to September/ October 2009.
