Pioneering survey work – Partners TGS at Green Volt site

Mark McDonald, Stakeholder Lead of Green Volt project shares his experience of being aboard the Ramform Vanguard vessel being mobilised for the Green Volt’s geophysical survey.

Standing on the deck of the Ramform Vanguard vessel during mobilisation at the Port of Aberdeen – South Harbour, I was struck by just how real progress can feel. As someone who has spent years working with communities, regulators and project partners, I’ve come to understand how essential collaboration is in progressing big projects. Watching the TGS vessel mobilisation take shape recently as part of Green Volt’s geophysical surveys was however, an experience like none other before.

Mobilisation is when plans move off the page and into the real world. Watching the Ramform Vanguard being readied for Green Volt’s geophysical survey, I was reminded how much coordination, expertise and trust goes into making these key steps in a project happen. Every cable, sensor and calibrated system reflects months of preparation and whilst these early-stage efforts may not always make headlines, they are where project delivery really begins.

As Stakeholder Lead at Flotation Energy, I’ve had a front-row seat to be part of the momentum building around Green Volt. This isn’t just another project on paper, it’s a pioneering commercial-scale floating windfarm that’s setting new standards both technically and through the partnerships that underpin it.

One of those partners is TGS, a leading global provider of energy data and intelligence. Their work on the current seismic surveys at the windfarm development site is a key step forward for Green Volt. The Ultra High Resolution 3D (UHR3D) survey will combine advanced sensing technologies, including Multibeam Echo Sounder, Side Scan Sonar, Sub-bottom Profiler and Magnetometer sensors, to deliver a remarkably detailed understanding of the seabed. This data is critical as it will help us identify potential risks early, inform our design decisions, and ensure Green Volt is built on the most resilient foundation possible.

For me, it’s another reminder of the level of precision and professionalism required to develop a project of this scale and why choosing the right partners matters. From acquisition planning to imaging and interpretation, the surveys will engage specialists at various UK locations. Offshore crews, geophysicists, onshore analysts all contribute to a campaign that strengthens not just this project, but the wider industry.

And while the technology is impressive, what really stands out is the shared commitment. Everyone from survey technicians to project managers are pulling in the same direction, which is exactly the kind of alignment we’ve worked hard to cultivate at Flotation Energy. It’s embedded in our approach and draws on our experience delivering complex offshore projects, including our founders playing a key role in delivering the ground-breaking Kincardine floating windfarm also off the coast of Aberdeen.

Green Volt builds on the floating wind legacy of Kincardine, as part of a new chapter not just for us as developers, but for the UK as a global leader in floating wind. With planning consent secured and a Contract for Difference in place, Green Volt is moving at pace. And each milestone, like this mobilisation, reaffirms what’s possible when genuine collaboration meets technical capabilities.

As the TGS survey vessel set sail from the Port of Aberdeen, we’re reminded that the future of floating wind doesn’t begin with ribbon cutting ceremonies or even turbine commissioning; it starts here, with survey programmes, data collection and project due diligence. Down at the quayside on a sunny day in May, watching it all come together, that future felt closer than ever.

Photo: State of the art Ramform Vanguard survey vessel, with project partners TGS conducting the high resolution seismic surveys at the Green Volt development site.

Publication Date
24 June 2025
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