Fugro has been awarded the geotechnical investigation contract for Sites III and IV at the Borssele wind area, off the Dutch coast of Zeeland.

The geotechnical work is being undertaken on behalf of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, part of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, and constitutes the final investigation at the Borssele wind farm sites before the final tender bidding rounds begin.

This contract follows the previous geotechnical, geophysical and metocean investigations at the Borssele development. Fugro will execute boreholes with various in situ testing programmes and seabed cone penetration testing. Its geoconsultancy engineers and geologists will provide an integrated geological ground model, which will provide data for the developers preparing to submit tenders. The programme will entail a large advanced testing programme at Fugro’s specialised laboratory in Wallingford.

“This new award underlines Fugro’s commitment and specialised support for the offshore wind industry,” said Frank Koopman, director at Fugro Engineers BV. “It builds on the experience gained with soil and wind climate research in previous lots in the Borssele area and will deliver high quality, objective information.”