UXO relocation at USA’s largest offshore wind farm
Ensuring safe UXO mitigation for Dominion Energy offshore wind farm development.
Industry
Renewables
Company
Dominion Energy
Contractor
ThayerMahan
Location
Outer Continental Shelf Offshore Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA
Site
Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, Hampton Roads, Atlantic Ocean
Date
April 2024
Method
Relocation
Introduction
Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) farm, under construction 23.5 nautical miles east of Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA, is currently ‘the largest offshore wind project in the United States’. 1 Upon completion in 2026, CVOW, owned and operated by US energy company Dominion Energy (the largest producer of carbon-free electricity in New England), will supplement the country’s diverse energy mix by powering an estimated 660,000 homes. 2 With 2.6GW expected capacity produced by 176 wind turbines, the wind farm will reduce CO2 emissions by 5 million tonnes each year. This equates to ‘planting more than 80 million trees’ and will be instrumental in helping to reach Virginia’s target of 30% renewable electricity by 2030. 3
As part of the project, Munitions and Explosives of Concern (MEC) / Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) needed to be avoided or relocated and confirmation provided that any inherent risks had been reduced to As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP) levels. Our personnel and Remote Ordnance Lifting System (ROLS) were engaged for this purpose, contracted through autonomous maritime surveillance leader, ThayerMahan.
Our Remote Ordnance Lifting System (ROLS) is the only remotely operated technology proven in the relocation of subsea UXO.
The Challenge
The project scope was to relocate MEC / UXO that fell within CVOW’s export cable corridor and lease array to allow for the safe installation of export cables, monopile foundations and inter-array cables. MEC was to be relocated in the Atlantic Ocean, within 12 miles of the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
The project was to be conducted, in conjunction with the US Coast Guard, using best management practices and ensuring biodiversity was protected with ‘no destruction or adverse modification of critical habitat’.
25-40 msw
Array water depths
Up to 40msw
Export cable corridor water depth
Sand / mud
Seabed sediment
Up to 1.5 kts
Tidal currents
Wind speed up to 25kts / Hi Max 1.5m
Weather conditions
The Details
The project began in April 2024 and lasted for five months.
Requirements included:
- 3 x Remote Ordnance Lifting Systems
- Full EOD specialist marine spread
- 2 x EOD / ROLS supervisors and 2 EOD / ROLS technicians
- Implementation of protective measures ‘to reduce risk and / or monitor effects to protected species and habitats or other ocean users
- Marine debris reporting and recovery
- Data management and detailed reporting
The Solution
ROLS
Three Remote Ordnance Lifting Systems (ROLS) were deployed to the US and 264 items of live UXO were relocated. ROLS is only available through us in UK and Europe.
The Result
900+
pUXO
264 live UXO
Lifted + shifted
264 items of live UXO were successfully ‘lifted and shifted’ within project timescales. Targets included Mk36 ground mines, Mk52 ground mines, 12” and 16” naval projectiles, M84 blast fragmentation bombs, 500lb and 1000lb blast fragmentation bombs, German WWII torpedo propulsion sections and warheads, WWII German moored mines and UK and US depth charges.
CVOW is scheduled to complete construction in late 2026.
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- Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind website https://coastalvawind.com/ consulted on 28 January 2025.
- Ibid.
- Ramboll website https://www.ramboll.com/en-gb/projects/energy/dominion-cvow-26gw-offshore-wind-farm consulted on 28 January 2025.
