Fugro has secured a two-year environmental services contract with EirGrid, Ireland's state-owned electricity transmission operator, to undertake marine mammal monitoring along Ireland's south coast. The work will support EirGrid's Powering Up Offshore – South Coast programme, which is developing the electricity infrastructure required to connect future offshore wind farms to the national grid. The programme is expected to facilitate the connection of approximately 900 MW of renewable energy capacity.
Under the contract, Fugro will install and maintain a network of eight static seabed monitoring moorings equipped with underwater acoustic sensors designed to detect and record the presence and activity of cetaceans, including whales, dolphins and porpoises.
The monitoring system will be used to establish an environmental baseline and track seasonal and long-term changes in marine mammal activity, including harbour porpoises known to inhabit the area.
Fugro will periodically recover and analyse the collected data, providing EirGrid with activity updates and annual reports on species presence and distribution across the survey area.
The contract builds on Fugro's existing seven-year framework agreement with EirGrid.
