Geotechnical data company Fugro says it has completed a four-year program of continuous survey operations in the New York Bight for Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, covering five project sites across three lease areas totaling 1,000 square kilometers.
The red hull of the 170'x40'x11’ survey vessel Fugro Enterprise has been a familiar sight to mariners during those years. During the effort, Fugro says, it “worked with Atlantic Shores to pioneer a new data collection and management approach that increased survey efficiency by 30%.”
That contributed to the recent federal approval of Atlantic Shores South, aiming for a turbine array with a nameplate rating of 2,800 megawatts. The developers, a joint venture of Shell New Energies US LLC and EDF-RE Offshore Development, LLC. Under the partners’ plan the first turbines off Long Beach Island and Brigantine, N.J., would be followed by building on other leases in deeper water farther east.
“Traditionally, offshore wind site assessments have required multiple independent campaigns to gather oceanographic, seabed, soil and habitat data,” according to a statement from Fugro. The company says it consolidated and streamlined the process into “a single, integrated program aligned with Atlantic Shores’ portfolio strategy.”
The data platform provided “digital deliverables to federal regulators, supplementing the thousands of pages of reports required by current permitting standards,” the company says.
“Given the shared values between Fugro and Atlantic Shores, we are proud of the longstanding partnership and commitment to advancing New Jersey’s first offshore wind project,” said Joris Veldhoven, CEO of Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind. “Over the last four years our teams have worked tirelessly to ensure we possess the most accurate data to develop our project portfolio safely and responsibly. Our partnership has led to industry innovations, advancements, and best practices that are charting the course for clean energy delivery now and for future generations.”
Céline Gerson, Fugro’s president and group director in the Americas, said, “The energy transition will require companies that are willing to lead by example – that work smarter to move faster while maintaining the highest accuracy and safety standards. Atlantic Shores is that kind of company, and we’re incredibly proud to have partnered with them to accelerate their offshore wind development journey.”
“This accomplishment was made possible by the safety excellence of Fugro’s own team, as well as their subcontractors Alpine and S.T. Hudson Engineers, two local survey companies whose work on the project contributes to Atlantic Shores’ commitment to New Jersey job creation,” according to the company.
