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  1. Home ›
  2. Functions and use ›
  3. Offshore wind energy ›
  4. Free passage and shared use

Free passage and shared use

Various claims on space, including the increasing number of such claims made by new wind farm zones, are making things increasingly busy in the North Sea area. There are six wind farms in use in the Dutch section of the North Sea. Over the next few years, up to 2030, at least five wind farms will be added.

In order to be able to continue to provide all functions and fulfil all requirements there is an increasing need to make the transition to multiple functions in a single space and integration of tasks. In the various offshore wind farm zones, this means facilitating 'free passage and shared use'. In that context, free passage for shipping and shared use are like communicating vessels. Where shipping may pass, it is (often) impossible to place fixed structures in the water column and vice versa. In the interests of both transit of shipping and shared use, it will not be possible to have free passage for shipping in the new wind farm zones. The same rules as before will continue to apply, where possible, to the Luchterduinen, Prinses Amalia and Egmond aan Zee Offshore Wind Farms.

Free passage

The safety of the seafarers and fellow users is paramount. Due to the construction of the new wind farms, it is possible that certain rules for free passage that previously applied in a wind farm no longer apply or change later. It is therefore important to always have the most up-to-date sea chart available before undertaking any voyage or activity on the North Sea and to check what the applicable rules are for the wind farm in question at that time. The rules for free passage and shared use are further explained for each wind farm on the pages of the wind farms concerned.

Shared use

The term 'shared use in wind farm zones’ covers nature development, food (passive fishing, marine aquaculture) and energy (other forms of renewable energy generation than wind energy: solar panels, tidal energy).

An ‘Area Passport’ guide for the wind farm zones will be produced and will, if possible, coincide with completion of the wind farm. Zoning in this area passport will show where there is space in a wind farm for shared use. Not available for shared use are: lanes for free passage of shipping, maintenance and safety zones around platforms, wind turbines and infield cables, plus logical supply routes for shipping. The remaining space is available for shared use.

Permission must also be acquired in advance for shared use activities in a wind farm that are not governed by the Omgevingswet (Environment and Planning Act, until 2024: Water Act), such as passive fishing.

A permit must be acquired under the terms of the Omgevingswet before starting any shared use activity. This video explains how to go about this. See also the applications procedure for shared use in brief

player.vimeo
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Full tekst video Wind Farms Shared use

Wind energy areas and wind farms

Wind energy areas and wind farms
  • Offshore wind farm Egmond aan Zee (OWEZ)
  • Borssele wind farm zone
  • Hollandse Kust (zuid) Wind Farm Zone including Offshore Wind Farm Luchterduinen (LUD)
  • Hollandse Kust (noord) wind farm zone including Prinses Amalia Wind Farm (PAWF)
  • Hollandse Kust (west) wind farm zone
  • IJmuiden Ver Wind Farm Zone
  • Nederwiek
  • Ten noorden van de Waddeneilanden, including Gemini wind farms Buitengaats and ZeeEnergie
  • Doordewind

Offshore wind energy

Offshore wind energy
  • Energy transition in the North Sea
  • Preparatory work for wind farms
  • Offshore Grid
  • Inspection and enforcement
  • Free passage and shared use
  • Ecology
  • Start/Stop
  • International
  • Data collection in the North Sea
  • Shipping safety around offshore wind farms (MOSWOZ)
  • Laws and regulations, international treaties and policy
  • Sources
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About Noordzeeloket

This is Noordzeeloket. The fastest way to government information on the North Sea. On how the central government manages the North Sea, and how the space in the North Sea is divided. On what is possible and allowed in the North Sea and what rules and conditions apply. On where to go for which permit. On what national and international policy is in force.

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