Interactions with other marine users

We have conducted a range of assessments within our study area to see how our proposed windfarm site could possibly impact other users and industries. For example, commercial fisheries, oil and gas infrastructure, shipping and navigation.

Below we’ve provided an overview of the results for some of these assessments. More detailed information about the assessments carried out and the subsequent results can be found in chapters 13 (Commercial Fishing), 14 (Shipping and Navigation), 16 (Civil and Military Aviation and Radar) and 17 (Infrastructure and Other Users) of our PEIR and in the PEIR NTS in our Information Hub.

Commercial fisheries

Commercial fishing activity has been characterised using landings statistics, vessel monitoring, surveillance data, and engagement with the fishing industry. Based on an analysis of the location of the windfarm site, fishing activity is expected to be dominated by larger vessels potting for whelk, and to a lesser extent dredging for scallops.

With mitigation for the construction period, it has been assessed that the effects from the Project are minor. When considering other plans and projects in the area, further assessment will be undertaken.

The Project will continue to engage with stakeholders in the region related to commercial fisheries and explore how we can further mitigate any potential impacts.

Shipping and navigation

In the study area, data shows that service vessels associated with existing offshore windfarms and oil and gas infrastructure account for a large proportion of vessel movements. Large vessels passing through the windfarm site are predominantly ferries and service vessels, and commercial cargo. Tanker routes are of low frequency in the windfarm site. Four principal operators were identified in the eastern Irish Sea through our assessments:

  • Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, operating between Douglas, Liverpool and Heysham.
  • Seatruck, operating between Heysham, Liverpool, Warrenpoint and Belfast.
  • Stena, operating between Liverpool, Heysham and Belfast.
  • P&O, operating between Liverpool and Dublin.

Contact us

Should you have any queries, please get in touch with us using one of the methods below:

Visualisations

The size, number and positioning of our turbines have yet to be decided. But at this early stage we’ve created indicative 3D visualisations to show potential views of the Morecambe Offshore Windfarm from a range of onshore locations.

View map

Our assessments found that while our Project would affect the Liverpool to Douglas and Liverpool to Belfast ferry routes, only the Liverpool to Belfast route would require a small additional travel distance as a result of the Project. The impacts from the Project alone were assessed as not significant. However, mitigations have been identified to reduce these effects further.

When considering the Project with other plans and neighbouring projects, significant effects have been identified. Through ongoing assessments and continued engagement with stakeholders and regulators we will aim to implement suitable mitigation measures and explore possible additional measures ahead of developing our Environmental Statement and submitting our DCO application.