An investigation is underway after a service operation vessel (SOV) collided with a wind turbine at Orsted's 1,200MW Hornsea 1 wind farm off the coast of east England. The incident occurred at 18:38 on 19 September, involving Louis Dreyfus Armateurs' Wind of Hope vessel, which was carrying 26 crew members and 46 specialist personnel at the time.
According to the France-based operator, no injuries were reported, and there has been no evidence of pollution resulting from the collision. Damage to the vessel was confined to areas above the waterline, including the helideck, with no water ingress detected. The Wind of Hope is en route to port for a full damage assessment.
Preliminary reports indicate some damage to the base of the wind turbine, and an exclusion zone has been established around the affected area. A spokesperson for Louis Dreyfus Armateurs confirmed the incident, stating, “We can report the SOV collided with a wind turbine at Hornsea 1. All relevant authorities have been informed, and an investigation has started into the cause of the accident.”
Orsted, the operator of the wind farm, has announced plans to conduct a full inspection of the turbine to evaluate the extent of the damage and determine the time frame for necessary repairs. “We will carry out a full inspection to assess the damage and see how long repairs might take,” the company said in a statement.
