13.13. Proposed Monitoring

  1. No monitoring is proposed for shipping and navigation.

13.14. Transboundary Effects

  1. A screening of transboundary impacts has been carried out and any potential for significant transboundary effects with regard to shipping and navigation from the Array upon the interests of European Economic Area (EEA) states has been assessed as part of the EIA. Transboundary impacts in terms of vessel routeing (including to international ports) are considered to have been assessed within section 13.11 (for the Array alone) and section 13.12 (on a cumulative basis). Individual transits may have the potential to be associated with vessels that are internationally owned or located, however, any such transits have been captured within the baseline assessment of vessel traffic as per section 13.7.1 (noting further detail and assessment is provided in the NRA (volume 3, appendix 13.1)).
  2. As such, no transboundary impacts other than those already assessed in section 13.11 and section 13.12 are anticipated.

13.15. Inter-Related Effects

  1. For shipping and navigation, the following potential impacts have been considered within the inter-related effects assessment:
  • increased vessel to vessel collision risk resulting from displacement (third party to third party);
  • increased vessel to vessel collision risk (third party to Array vessels);
  • vessel to structure allision risk; and
  • reduced access to local ports and harbours.
  1. Table 13.14   Open ▸ lists the inter-related effects (receptor-led effects) that are predicted to arise for shipping and navigation receptors. No inter-related effects (Array lifetime effects) are predicted to arise during the construction, operation and maintenance and decommissioning phase of the Array since the potential impacts listed above in paragraph 548 will not be further exacerbated over the lifetime of the Array as there will be designed in measures in place and to accommodate any vessels that chose to avoid the Array without notably increasing vessel density around the site boundary.
  2. Shipping and navigation receptors also have the potential to have secondary effects on other receptors and these effects are fully considered in the topic-specific chapters. These receptors and effects are:
  • commercial fisheries

–           displacement from fishing grounds for commercial fishing vessels due to the presence of the buoyed construction and decommissioning areas during the construction and decommissioning phases, respectively; and

–           displacement from fishing grounds for commercial fishing vessels due to the floating wind turbines and anchor mooring lines during the operation and maintenance phase.

 

Table 13.14:
Summary of Likely Significant Potential Inter-Related Effects for Shipping and Navigation from Individual Effects Occurring across the Construction, Operation and Maintenance and Decommissioning Phases of the Array (Array Lifetime Effects) and from Multiple Effects Interacting Across all Phases (Receptor-led Effects)

Table 13.14: Summary of Likely Significant Potential Inter-Related Effects for Shipping and Navigation from Individual Effects Occurring across the Construction, Operation and Maintenance and Decommissioning Phases of the Array (Array Lifetime Effects) and from Multiple Effects Interacting Across all Phases (Receptor-led Effects)

 

13.16. Summary of Impacts, Mitigation, Likely Significant Effects and Monitoring

Information on shipping and navigation within the shipping and navigation study area was collected through consultation, assessment of the baseline environment (including vessel traffic, navigational features and incident rates) and numerical modelling. This information is summarised in Table 13.15   Open ▸ which presents a summary of the potential impacts, designed in measures and the conclusion of LSE1 in EIA terms in respect to shipping and navigation. The impacts assessed comprise:

  • increased vessel to vessel collision risk resulting from displacement (third-party to third-party);
  • displacement from adverse weather routeing;
  • increased vessel to vessel collision risk (third-party to project vessels);
  • vessel to structure allision risk;
  • reduced access to local ports and harbours;
  • loss of station;
  • reduction of underkeel clearance as a result of subsea infrastructure;
  • anchor interaction with subsea cables (including dynamic cabling);
  • anchor interaction with mooring lines; and
  • reduction in SAR capability.
  1. Overall, it is concluded that there will be no LSE1 arising from the Array during the construction, operation and maintenance or decommissioning phases.
  2. Table 13.16   Open ▸ presents a summary of the potential impacts, designed in measures and the conclusion of LSE1 on shipping and navigation in EIA terms. The cumulative effects assessed include:
  • increased vessel to vessel collision risk resulting from displacement (third-party to third-party);
  • displacement from adverse weather routeing;
  • increased vessel to vessel collision risk (third-party to Array vessels);
  • vessel to structure allision risk;
  • reduced access to local ports and harbours; and
  • reduction in SAR capability.
  1. Overall, it is concluded that there will be no likely significant cumulative effects from the Array alongside other projects/plans.
  2. No transboundary impacts other than those already assessed in section 13.11 and section 13.12 are anticipated. On this basis, no likely significant transboundary effects have been identified in regard to effects of the Array.
Table 13.15:
Summary of Likely Significant Environmental Effects, Secondary Mitigation and Monitoring

Table 13.15: Summary of Likely Significant Environmental Effects, Secondary Mitigation and Monitoring

Table 13.16:
Summary of Likely Significant Cumulative Environment Effects, Mitigation and Monitoring

Table 13.16: Summary of Likely Significant Cumulative Environment Effects, Mitigation and Monitoring