Dutch marine survey and geodata specialist Fugro has been awarded a two-year environmental services contract by EirGrid, reinforcing its role in supporting Ireland’s growing offshore renewable energy ambitions.
The contract will see Fugro deliver long-term marine mammal monitoring along Ireland’s south coast as part of EirGrid’s Powering Up Offshore – South Coast programme, a major initiative aimed at developing the electrical infrastructure required to connect future offshore wind farms to the national grid.
The project also marks an important milestone for Fugro, representing the first commercial deployment of the company’s purpose-built environmental monitoring mooring system.
This latest agreement builds upon an existing seven-year framework partnership between Fugro and EirGrid and highlights the increasing importance of environmental data in the planning and development of offshore renewable energy projects.
Once completed, the Powering Up Offshore – South Coast programme is expected to connect approximately 900 MW of renewable electricity capacity, enough to supply nearly one million homes. The project is considered a key component of Ireland’s strategy to strengthen energy security while advancing its climate and decarbonisation objectives.
As part of the contract, Fugro will install and maintain a network of eight silent seabed monitoring stations positioned along the Irish south coast. These static moorings will be anchored to the seafloor and fitted with underwater acoustic sensors able to detect and record the presence and activities of cetaceans such as whales, dolphins and porpoises.
The collected data will be regularly recovered and analysed by Fugro’s specialists, providing EirGrid with continuous insights into marine mammal activity. The company will also deliver annual reports detailing species presence, distribution patterns and environmental trends across the monitored area.
According to Robert Fennelly, long-term environmental monitoring plays a crucial role in ensuring that offshore infrastructure projects are developed responsibly.
“Long-term monitoring helps us build a clear, evidence-based understanding of the marine environment we operate in,” he explained.
Fennelly also emphasized EirGrid’s commitment to integrating robust environmental data throughout every phase of its offshore development strategy as Ireland accelerates its transition toward a low-carbon energy future.
The project seeks to strike a balance between the rapid expansion of offshore wind energy and the protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems. By combining world-class monitoring technologies with environmental expertise, the project is creating a more solid foundation for Ireland’s next generation of renewable energy infrastructure.
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