Posted on December 17, 2025
Meet the vessel venturing out on its own
Our Hornsea 3 Offshore Wind Farm is trialling an uncrewed surface vessel (USV) in preparation for upcoming seabed surveys. The team deliberately chose a USV for safety, sustainability, and efficiency. Uncrewed operations can help reduce fatigue-related risks and support longer offshore deployments. This extended endurance enables more consistent data collection while optimising fuel use. It’s a win-win!
Trials to date have proved effective, and the USV will go on to survey the 696 km2 Hornsea 3 area for the installation of the wind turbines and the offshore cable route. The data will then be used to create a detailed overview to guide the installation of Hornsea 3’s foundations.
Jason Ledden, Senior Project Director for Hornsea 3 at Ørsted, said: “We’ll be using this new technology at Hornsea 3 for almost two years, improving the safety of our team, who can operate the USV from onshore control rooms instead of venturing offshore. It will save time and fuel and improve the information we collect – helping us build the world’s single largest offshore wind farm in the most efficient, sustainable, and safest way possible.”
Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/eGcpaW5w
