First major ORSEC-type exercise inside an active offshore wind farm

The exercise took place in two stages.

On October 7 , a simulated collision between a logistics vessel serving the offshore wind farm and a wind turbine triggered the emergency response plan for vessels in distress (ANED). Within this framework, under the authority of the Maritime Prefect of the Atlantic, the Corsen Operational Center for Assistance and Rescue (CROSS) deployed several air and sea resources:

• The H160 helicopter with an evaluation team of three specialists on board.
• The intervention, assistance and rescue tug (RIAS) Abeille Liberté in order to take the ship in tow and direct it to its home port.
• The coastal maritime surveillance vessel (VCSM) Escaut is used to ensure policing in the area and to enforce regulations in force.

This phase notably made it possible to coordinate the responses of the operator, provided for in its maritime intervention plan (PIM), and those of the maritime prefecture provided for in the ORSEC maritime system.

On October 8th , the exercise continued, with CROSS Corsen being informed of an accidental oil spill linked to a handling error on board an oil tanker sailing north of the Saint-Brieuc offshore wind farm. This situation led the Maritime Prefect to deploy a significant air and sea response force to the area, including:

• a Falcon 50 from the French Navy based in Lann Bihoué (56) to carry out a reconnaissance on the area to confirm and specify the pollution.
• The support and assistance vessel (BSAA) is a specialized Sapeur vessel for pollution control, equipped with offshore hydrocarbon recovery capabilities and dedicated specific equipment, with a team of specialists from the Centre d'Expertise Pratiques Antipollution (CEPPOL) on board.
• the VCSM Escaut, in order to observe the pollution, measure its evolution and ensure policing on the body of water.

This exercise mobilized nearly 200 people. It allowed the maritime prefecture of the Atlantic, the prefecture of Côtes-d'Armor as well as the operator Ailes marines/Iberdrola, in charge of the development and operation of the wind farm, to train the activation of a level 3 Civil Security Response Organisation (ORSEC) system, as well as all the specialized organizations in the field, in particular CEDRE.

The various actors in this operation were able to test the coordination of their actions in a complex scenario, as close as possible to reality, even considering the unloading of waste on land and the legal proceedings.

The Atlantic Maritime Prefecture organizes two major maritime emergency response exercises each year, interacting with one or more of the 10 coastal departments along the Atlantic coast. These exercises are the cornerstone of a successful maritime operation, coordinated with land-based authorities.