The presence of a boat in the waters of the Costa Brava where the Generalitat plans to build an experimental offshore wind farm has generated concern in the tourism sector and among environmental and conservation entities in the area.
The Stop Macro Marine Wind Park Association, which brings together forty entities from various fields that oppose the creation of a floating marine park in the Gulf of Roses, have sent a letter to the Minister of Climate Action, David Mascort, in which they ask for explanations about the presence of this boat that in recent weeks has been seen working in the area where the Generalitat plans to locate the Plemcat.
The platform will be used to test three prototypes of mills, the largest measuring 220 meters, and obtain information on viability, environmental impact or impact on biodiversity. It will cost around 80 million euros and should be a reality in 2025.
According to the association, it is the Glomar Vantage vessel, which belongs to the Dutch company Glomar Offshore NV and has the Panamanian flag, which is dedicated to studying the seabed to install wind farms.
They explain that in the Gulf of Roses they have been seen following an energy export cable to land planned by Plemcat and in the area where there will be the floating platforms of this project, which could be a reality in 2025.
"According to the information we have, this ship would have been carrying out geophysical prospecting work in the area of highest biodiversity in the Western Mediterranean, an area surrounded by protected spaces and on a fishing reserve area for sustainable management of the fishing grounds," they point
The entity opposed to the promotion of offshore wind in this area of the coast assures that it has been able to verify that this ship has previously been seen carrying out similar work in other areas of Europe where wind farms are planned, such as France or Ireland.
In the letter sent last February 2 to the head of Climate Action, signed by the president of the Stop Macro Marine Wind Park Association, Frederic Suñé, the question is whether the work carried out by this boat in the area is related with the Plemcat, which promotes the Generalitat through the Catalan Energy Research Institute (IREC).
It also asks for explanations about the tasks it has carried out, whether the boat in question has been contracted by the Generalitat or subcontracted by a collaborating company and whether it has the appropriate authorizations to carry out this type of work in internal and external waters.
In addition, he asks who gave him the authorizations, when the work began and until when it will last. Environmentalists fear that these previous studies will have harmful effects on animals and the seabed. In this sense, they also ask him if any evaluation has been made of the environmental impact that the boat's activity may generate.
Finally, he also questions why the Generalitat has not previously publicly explained the work of seven ships, as if the government of Normandy, in France, did when the same ship carried out surveys to implement a wind farm in that French region.
