Browse through some of our client case studies and testimonies:
Scotwind – Case Study
ScotWind Floating Offshore Wind Farm – UXO ALARP Safety Sign-off Certification for Offshore Ground Investigation Operations
6 Alpha was commissioned by a ScotWind Developer to provide UXO ALARP safety sign-off certification in advance of undertaking approximately 200 offshore Geotechnical Investigation (GI) positions, to support development of an offshore wind farm in northeast Scotland. The project was highly dynamic, requiring 6 Alpha’s rapid and concurrent interpretation of magnetometer and sidescan sonar data to identify and to avoid potential UXO (pUXO) and close coordination with the Client, their Survey Manager (AtkinsRéalis) and the Survey Contractor. The Survey Management team noted that “Given the GI vessel was operating in the field concurrently during the delivery of the UXO safety certification, 6 Alpha’s rapid identification of pUXO and their concurrent and efficient delivery of ALARP certification not only afforded the project assurance but also avoided vessel delay”.
Offshore Wind Farm (OWF) in South Korea – Case Study
Offshore Wind Farm (OWF) in South Korea
6 Alpha were commissioned in 2024, to review a third party Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) desk study in the form of a risk assessment and risk mitigation strategy, that had been written to support the development of an Offshore Wind Farm (OWF) in South Korea.
Our review identified that the third-party UXO consultant’s assessment had mischaracterised the UXO threats by failing to identify a number of historical events within the OWF array and proposed export cable route, which are Ilkley to have presented significant UXO hazards. The assessment was not only incomplete but it had also incorrectly categorised the entirety of the site as a “moderate” UXO risk area. The report therefore incorrectly, recommended a marine magnetometer survey across the entirety of the proposed OWF array area and throughout the length of the export cable corridor, to manage the UXO risks.
By commissioning 6 Alpha to review this report, our Client received a better informed and much more focussed UXO threat and risk assessment with consideration of other important risk variables such as the type and juxtaposition of UXO, the changes in water depth across the project area, the type of work to be undertaken as well as other subsea conditions specific to this site. 6 Alpha’s UXO threat and risk assessment correctly categorised areas of high, medium and low UXO risk and critically, we designed suitable and appropriate risk mitigation activities tied to each category of risk, in order to reduce such risks to As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP), rather than to or towards zero.
The culmination of this work was that is generated a 25% reduction in UXO magnetometer survey over the array and export cable corridor including a very significant reduction of UXO survey requirements in nearshore the area. We estimate that this saved our client approximately £400,000 in survey fees as well as an 8 day reduction in their survey schedule.
Leask Marine – Testimonial
We put ourselves in the hands and the expertise of 6 Alpha on this project and we could not have wished for a more practical, experienced and thorough company to help us get the project up and running in the safest possible manner.
Douglas Leask, Managing Director, Leask Marine
UXO Risk Management to Support EU Energy Infrastructure – Case Study
6 Alpha Associates was commissioned by Energinet to support a linear subsea cable project between Denmark and Sweden. The project was located within a region known for past military activity, including sea mining, aerial bombing, and naval operations. This historic backdrop posed a latent risk of encountering UXO along the proposed cable corridor.
Working in close partnership with Energinet and their appointed contractors, we delivered Unexploded Ordnance (UXO), risk management consultancy services from design through to supporting the execution of UXO survey and target investigation. The project required a balance between safety, cost efficiency and technical precision in a heavily trafficked marine environment.
Energinet required a UXO consultant, capable not only of understanding the UXO threat landscape but also, one that could interpret threat risk and risk mitigation requirements in practical terms. 6 Alpha provided UXO risk mitigation advice and documentation aligned with recognised industry best practice, namely CIRIA ‘s C754 offshore UXO risk management guidance.
Drawing upon our in-house team, who are equipped with skills spanning threat and risk assessment, UXO risk mitigation and marine geophysical data interpretation, 6 Alpha provided a tailored consultancy package that supported Energinet’s objectives of ensuring safety at best value. Effective collaboration with Energinet and their contractors contributed to the efficiency and success of the project.
Given the complex environmental and subsea conditions, the project required a tailored and technically robust approach to UXO risk assessment and management. There was also a need to integrate this work within a tightly defined project schedule that ensured the cable installation could proceed in line with key Client milestones.
Our Approach
6 Alpha deployed a multi-disciplinary team to deliver three core work packages in close collaboration with the Client and their project partners. Our scope of work included:
- Reviewing and updating an existing UXO desk study; we gap analysed and incorporated additional UXO threat sources to ensure that the revised desk study reflected the real UXO risk environment across the project area. This included reassessing historical military activity, seabed conditions, and probable types of ordnance by employing our proprietary Azimuth© UXO relational database together with synthesising other regional, national and international data sources.
- Designing a fit-for-purpose UXO survey specification; we designed sensor configurations, survey parameters, and minimum detection thresholds required to support the detection and where practicable, the avoidance of potential UXO, and in doing so, to support and to evidence the reduction of UXO risks to As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP). This key step involved advising Energinet on survey spread and data quality requirements, and providing real-time Quality Control (QC) as the work proceeded offshore;
- Data Processing: 6 Alpha’s geophysical data processing and interpretation minimised those anomalies that were marked as potential UXO (pUXO), thus providing maximum working space for the marine works, as well as reducing the work scope for target investigation and the costs associated with this;
- Oversight of UXO target investigation operations; 6 Alpha were involved from the very outset, in the design and execution of the UXO target investigation process, ensuring that the techniques involved would be effective and efficient. We provided on-board oversight throughout investigation operations, providing Energinet independent oversight and confidence in the process;
- Providing UXO ALARP Safety Sign-off Certification; 6 Alpha evidenced that all with the holistic UXO risk mitigation measures had been put in place, in accordance with best practice, the UXO risk to installation operations had bene reduced ALARP.
All our work was underpinned by direct engagement and open, regular communication with Energinet in advance of key milestones, including the delivery of a UXO risk seminar and consultation meeting held in Denmark with Energinet and their contractors. The ability to adapt UXO risk management methodologies as the project evolved was key in meeting Energinet’s requirements.
Outcome
Working proactively and in collaboration with Energinet, all UXO risk mitigation measures were delivered successfully and with high levels of stakeholder engagement maintained throughout, contributing to a successful outcome.
6 Alpha appreciate the opportunity to support the project, and we look forward to future opportunities to work alongside Energinet and their contractors in future.
Green Volt Offshore Wind Farm – Case Study
6 Alpha was contracted in May 2025 by Global Maritime to manage their UXO risks, in support of their Green Volt Offshore Wind Farm, located 80km off the East Coast of Scotland. We were specifically tasked to produce Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) safety sign-off certificates, warranting that risks to Geotechnical Investigations (GI) had been reduced to As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP).
The scope of the UXO risk management work involved the analysis of a historic survey datasets, as well as the integration and synthesis of live geophysical survey data that was then being captured. 6 Alpha’s analysis therefore, not only provided safety and supply chain reassurance but also that its provision was accurate and timely, so that the GI work would not be delayed.
Managing UXO Risks during Active Survey Operations
6 Alpha worked closely with the offshore survey vessel team to ensure seamless receipt and integration of survey data and its integration into the UXO analysis process.
To expedite ALARP safety sign off delivery, 6 Alpha readily took responsibility for a significant swath of technical and administrative work, which not only enabled fast feedback but also ensured that the GI vessel was not delayed. At some stages of the project, especially time-critical GI locations were analysed and were signed off with UXO risks having been reduced ALARP, within 24-hours of data receipt.
Conclusions
By establishing clear communication channels and proactive data management processes, 6 Alpha ensured that there was concurrency between data acquisition, interpretation and ALARP safety sign-off certificate production. Once each GI position was either confirmed or repositioned, it was followed by the rapid production of ALARP safety sign-off certification. Our flexible and proactive approach enabled rapid data validation and sign-off, accounting for tight project timeline constraints, ensuring that schedule milestones were consistently met without compromising either quality or safety.
Leading offshore wind developers Flotation Energy and Vårgrønn are delivering Green Volt, a 560 MW floating windfarm off the East Coast of Scotland and set to become the world’s largest commercial-scale floating offshore windfarm.
