Broken Wind Turbine Blade in North Sea Was a Menace to Shipping
German police report they were able to recover a broken wind turbine blade that was drifting in the North Sea, creating a significant risk to navigation. The blade was recovered north of the German island of Borkum and is believed to have come from an under-construction offshore wind farm.
The Federal Police report they were advised that the blade was floating in a position between the Hohe See wind farm, which has been in operation since 2019, and the He Dreiht wind farm, which is under construction and expected to be commissioned in a few months. Both projects are owned by EnBW, and the police were advised that the companies had first attempted to recover the blade but were unsuccessful.
“Due to its size and composition, it posed a significant risk to maritime navigation,” said the Federal Police. It said the object floating in the water was 20 meters (approximately 66 feet) long and two meters (6.5 feet) wide and made of fiberglass coming from a wind turbine. Furthermore, it said the blade was floating just below the surface and was therefore difficult to spot.
Blade was pulled aboard the patrol vessel and cut up (Federal Police)
The Waterways and Shipping Administration dispatched its patrol vessel Bad Duben (BP83) to the location, and it was redirecting shipping traffic in the area. The blade was floating between Hohe See, which is approximately 55 miles from Borkum, and He Dreiht, which is also over 50 miles from the island and approximately 65 miles from Heligoland. He Dreiht will consist of 64 wind turbines when it is completed.
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The patrol vessel was able to locate the blade, and one of its launches was used to secure a line to the blade and tow it. The patrol vessel using its stern well was used to pull the blade out of the water. Because of its length, the crew used a saw to cut the blade into sections so that it could be entirely pulled aboard the patrol vessel.
The sections of the blade were unloaded in Cuxhaven on July 26. EnBW and Vestas, which manufactured the turbines, have not commented on how the blade ended up in the water. Cadeler was reported to be handling the installation, which was 70 percent complete as of June. The Waterways Authority said there would be an investigation.
