CS SOVEREIGN OPEN DAY SUCCESS
A ship’s officer has made a return visit to Orkney aboard a specialised vessel carrying out work for EMEC, the European Marine Energy Centre.
Ben Gowland, who is serving as second officer aboard the cable laying ship CS Sovereign, grew up in Deerness and now lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The vessel has been used to install new seabed cables at EMEC’s test sites for wave and tidal energy technologies and is now undertaking further maintenance work on the centre’s behalf.
“I very much support and follow the development of alternative energy solutions, so it’s great to see Orkney so far out in front in trying to use the tides to generate electricity,” Ben said.
More than 250 people joined Ben and the rest of the crew aboard CS Sovereign – which is operated Global Marine Systems Ltd – when the ship tied up at Hatston Pier, giving the public the opportunity to go aboard for an open afternoon.
As second officer, Ben has been controlling the ship during complex operations in the Fall of Warness off Eday.
“The tides here are really harsh, plus we ended up with un-forecast gusts of wind at 50 knots (58mph),” he said.
“Keeping the ship in exactly the right place in those conditions – with a remotely operated vehicle hanging 30 metres below us – is a challenge to say the least.”
EMEC managing director Neil Kermode witnessed the current phase of operations during a trip on board the vessel.
“It is remarkable to see the coordination of the different teams aboard Sovereign,” he said. “I take my hat off to them for the precise way they handle this big ship and the potentially uncooperative cables in these conditions. This is pinpoint accuracy on an industrial scale.
“We are grateful to Global Marine Systems for giving people from Orkne the chance to see the vessel for themselves – and that there was such an excellent response.”
CS Sovereign is known as a dynamically positioned ship. This means it holds position in tidal streams without the use of anchors.
The combination of azimuth thrusters on the stern and tunnel bow thrusters allows the ship to “park” above a point on the seabed. From there it can then move in any direction and at any speed.
“I really enjoy balancing the vessel’s power against the forces of wind and tide, but you have to know when to give in,” Ben said.
“At one point the winds were just too much and we were all relieved to be able to get into Scapa Flow to let it blow through.”
It was at this time that EMEC’s wave measuring systems recorded 10 metre high peak waves off Billia Croo.
Ben got a taste for the sea while at Kirkwall Grammar School. He was signed up anonymously for some sail training and found he really liked it.
“I have often wondered who put my name down for that trip,” he added. “It has literally set a course for my life and I would love to say thank you to whoever it was.”
