November 11, 2013
Netherlands

More disasters at sea by wind farms

Audrey Graanoogst | NL Times | 11 November 2013 | www.nltimes.nl

The Coast Guard fears more accidents if the number of wind farms along the coast is increased. The North Sea is already one of the busiest seas in the world. If the plans for building even more wind turbines are realized, the chances of accidents will increase, according to Ed Veen, director of the Dutch Coast Guard.

Ships are already cramped on the increasingly crowded North Sea. By a growing number of wind turbines, they have to do with even less space. Each obstacle increases the risk of conflict. Veen points to the 100 to 150 ships that become rudderless annually in the North Sea to illustrate the dangers. If only one of those drifts into a wind farm it would cause an incident like the one with the cruise ship Costa Concordia, which cost the Italian state a billion Euros, according to the Coast Guard Director.
Windmills

He argues for a new risk assessment for the North Sea where such disasters are included. It surprised him the government has not thought of that. He also hopes the Coast Guard will be reinforced, so they can better monitor the North Sea.

VVD MP Leegte will question Minister Kamp (Economic Affairs) today about the windmills.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/11/11/more-disasters-at-sea-by-wind-farms/