Leask Marine Ltd. - Experts & Thought Leaders

Leask Marine is proud to continue its partnership with Morlais, a globally renowned tidal energy developer, in the deployment of the Marinus LiDAR buoy off the coast of Holyhead, Wales. This advanced buoy, equipped with cutting-edge sonar, acoustic monitoring, and video technology, will play a crucial role in monitoring marine wildlife and environmental conditions around the Morlais tidal energy project. Deployment of the Marinus buoy The data collected by the Marinus buoy will provide valuable insights into the behaviour and movement of marine mammals and seabirds, enabling Morlais to update its Environmental Monitoring and Management Plan (EMMP). This commitment to environmental stewardship is essential for ensuring the sustainable development of tidal energy projects. Leask Marine's expertise in marine operations and commitment to safety and efficiency have been instrumental in the successful deployment of the Marinus buoy. Marinus buoy's current mission They are excited to be part of this important initiative, which will not only benefit the Morlais project, but also contribute to the global understanding of the interactions between tidal energy installations and the marine environment. The findings from the Marinus buoy's current mission will be shared with tidal energy projects worldwide, underscoring the importance of collaboration and knowledge sharing in this growing industry. Leask Marine is committed to working with partners like Morlais to advance the development of sustainable and environmentally responsible tidal energy solutions.

International Marine Contractors, Leask Marine Ltd have taken ownership of their latest new vessel, MV ‘C-HORIZON’, a Neptune Marine built DP 1 EuroCarrier 2611. The vessel is 26 m long, 11 m wide and is a Tier III compliant vessel specifically designed for a diverse range of roles supporting the offshore marine renewable sector. Leask Marine acquires DP 1 EuroCarrier 2611 vessel Douglas Leask, Managing Director of Leask Marine Ltd said “We are particularly pleased to have purchased this DP 1 EuroCarrier 2611 that is fully fit for purpose for the renewable energy market. The vessel is outfitted with a powerful 4-point mooring system for operation in currents of 8 knots.” He adds, “The purchase of the C-Horizon is another significant milestone in the development of the business, and provides a great enhancement to the range of services we provide.” Vessel equipped with Dynamic Positioning System (DP1) The vessel is equipped with a Dynamic Positioning System (DP1), which is a computer-controlled system The vessel is equipped with a Dynamic Positioning System (DP1), which is a computer-controlled system used to automatically maintain the vessels heading and position and allows the ability to automatically hold station without the use of mooring lines and anchors. It has two C32 caterpillar main engines, 1200hp each, which gives a bollard pull of 34.7 tons, and the engines drive two 1,85 metre propellers, providing a speed of 10 knots. For electric power, the vessel is equipped with two IMO Tier III compliant Volvo D13 generator sets. Heila 230-4SL deck crane fitted on PS A Heila 230-4SL deck crane is fitted on PS at the bow and can lift 24.4tons @7.89m and a Heila 140-3S at the aft deck. Also, a 100 tons anchor handling winch, a 50 tons towing winch, a 15 tons tugger winch and a 25 tons 4 point mooring system. In the bow, a wide bow-roller is fitted in combination with hydraulically operated wire-guide pins. The vessel also has two Volvo D13 generator sets producing 720Kw. Record growth for Leask Marine’s business This is the latest of a number of significant investments over the past years by Leask Marine and the result of this has been record growth for the business, working with some of the most recognisable international clients in the offshore marine renewable market.

International Marine Contractors, Leask Marine Ltd. achieves another “World First”. The company has announced that it has successfully installed its first offshore grouted pile with its revolutionary Raptor Submersible Drilling Rig (SDR) technology.    This marks the final commercialisation phase of the Raptor SDR, from concept, design, manufactured, and full testing programme complete with third-party verification. Characteristics of Raptor SDR design The main characteristic of the Raptor SDR design is to make it more commercially viable the overall weight of the Leask Marine SDR was kept low, making the equipment easy to adapt and drill from medium-sized work boats or barges increasing accessibility and reducing costs for customers. Raptor SDR has now successfully installed a subsea anchor with a diameter of over 980 mm The Raptor SDR has now successfully installed a subsea anchor with a diameter of over 980 mm weighing 12 tonnes, at a water depth of more than 80 m in basalt rock, in the Faroe Islands, for a Swedish tidal developer.  The unit includes hydraulic stabilisers, and its independent levelling systems, once reaching the seabed, allows the Raptor SDR to install anchors in a single deployment in tidal currents of up to 6 knots. Leask Marine's continued success The SDR was launched from the Leask Marine multicat vessel, MV C-Force, using an in-house unique design, Launch & Recovery Skid system, and the vessel's 55-ton A-Frame. The Leask Marine team was supported during the drilling operations by a team of specialist borehole drillers from Welltherm Drilling Ltd., headed up by Jason Laing. The project was led from its inception by Leask Marine's Operations Director, Oliver Bethwaite. Olly's visionary leadership and unwavering dedication and perseverance have been the driving force behind its success since 2019. His hands-on approach, and commitment to operational excellence have not only shaped the project's trajectory but have also been instrumental in overcoming challenges. Olly’s expertise has proven indispensable, making him the key player of this groundbreaking initiative and a driving factor in Leask Marine's continued success in the industry. Olly was supported by Elsa Ramirez, Leask Marine’s Lead Project Engineer, who played a key role in the concept design and development through her engineering team.  Offshore site investigation In addition, it has already proved itself successful at core sampling for offshore site investigation While the SDR was primarily designed and developed to operate in the most extreme sea conditions as a solution for their tidal and wave clients, this drilling technology holds potential for the offshore wind, offshore solar, hydrokinetic and aquaculture markets. In addition, it has already proved itself successful at core sampling for offshore site investigation.  Earlier this year the team managed to recover a 4.5 m length rock core sample in a single drilled length. This marks a significant triumph in the realm of geotechnical exploration. This custom-made length surpasses conventional standards, unlocking a new frontier for scientific investigation and geological analysis.  Reduces installation costs Using this technology offers the market a substantially lower carbon footprint solution and reduces installation costs as developers move into multiple device arrays. Leask Marine has been a world pioneer in renewable marine technologies, and the Raptor SDR is a combination of many years of investment by the company to provide a cost-competitive solution.  Douglas Leask, Managing Director of Leask Marine commented: “This is a huge achievement for its first outing, drilling such a large size of the pile, at over 80 metres water depth, on a tidal site. I am extremely proud of our team and once again the Leask team exemplifies why Orkney remains a world pioneer in the marine renewable energy sector in its experience and technical knowledge that is exported across the globe.”