TDI-Brooks International to Support US Wind’s MarWin Offshore Wind Project

TDI-Brooks International, Inc. will be deploying two of their oceanographic research vessels to the East Coast of the US in support of US Wind’s MarWin offshore wind project off the coast of Maryland.

TDI-Brooks will engage in the seabed geophysical surveys to better understand the geological issues that may exist with project development to ensure safe and long-term operations and performance of the facilities.

TDI-Brooks research vessel R/V Brooks McCall will be deployed from the Gulf of Mexico in March with the R/V Miss Emma McCall joining her in April. Both multi-use oceanographic research vessels are equipped to acquire geophysical surveys for offshore hazard/site clearance assessments, pipeline/cable routing, seafloor mapping, port and channel conditions, fisheries habitat mapping and burial assessment studies.

US Wind was founded in 2011 and has established its position as a premier offshore wind energy development company in the United States. In 2014, US Wind obtained a federal lease for site control to develop approximately 1.5 GW of offshore wind power generation off the coast of Maryland. The MarWin project is expected to produce approximately 270 MW of power, which will help meet Maryland’s offshore wind energy goals. The project is expected to come online in 2024.

US Wind has already begun an extensive outreach effort to local fishermen to inform them of these survey activities. Dedicated fisheries outreach specialists from Sea Risk Solutions will also regularly provide updates on the vessels' scheduled activities. There will be no restriction on fishing in the offshore wind lease area due to these survey activities.

US Wind is also implementing extensive efforts to minimize impacts on marine life during survey operations. Expert Protected Species Observers will be aboard each vessel to monitor for the presence of protected species, such as the North Atlantic Right Whale, and ensure that appropriate measures are taken to protect these species.

In addition to the geophysical surveys, TDI-Brooks will provide laboratory analysis on all sediment samples collected via their state-of-the-art laboratory facility in College Station, Texas. The environmental laboratories will provide high-quality analytical services and scientific interpretation. All three laboratories are staffed with highly-skilled scientists and chemists who have worked in partnership with federal and state agencies, as well as the private energy and environmental industries, for over 25 years.