Nov 2, 2025
South Africa pilots real-time curtailment to protect Cape vultures
South Africa pilots real-time curtailment to protect Cape vultures
South Africa is testing real-time, turbine-by-turbine shutdowns to reduce bird strike risk. Expect similar biodiversity controls to shape offshore wind operations, vessel planning, and contract terms.
South Africa is testing real-time, turbine-by-turbine shutdowns to reduce bird strike risk. Expect similar biodiversity controls to shape offshore wind operations, vessel planning, and contract terms.
S.Africa seeks to save birds from wind turbine risks
Real-time, turbine-by-turbine curtailment beats blanket shutdowns: it protects priority species while preserving output — in Swellendam, South Africa (AFP) Oct 23, 2025
Powerful gusts shook an observation post perched on a hill at a wind farm in South Africa as two monitors scanned the landscape through binoculars. The Overberg mountains stretched along the horizon, but the monitors - bundled in scarves - were focused on activity much closer: around a giant wind turbine, a small, dark silhouette had appeared. "Stop turbine 11, please. Cape vulture,"
Why this matters offshore: biodiversity risk is moving from EIA paperwork to live operations. Coastal and offshore wind clusters will see more curtailment triggers tied to migration windows, weather, and visual/radar detections. That shifts how we plan access. More short-notice maintenance runs. More standby clauses. And vessels that can support sensors, data links, and rapid safe-to-work windows without burning unnecessary fuel.
Concrete trend we’re seeing: tenders increasingly specify wildlife detection plus automated curtailment logs, and ask for CTVs/guard vessels ready to maintain masthead radar/cameras and to time arrivals around curtailment windows. DP2 CTVs gain an edge for precise station-keeping during sensor work. Hybrid or battery-boosted CTVs help hold position and loiter with lower emissions when shutdown windows extend. Ports scheduling (e.g., night-time access and quiet transits) is becoming part of the mitigation toolkit.
Plan for targeted curtailment as a standard operational constraint—and a competitive advantage for teams who design it into schedules, contracts, and vessel specs.
At Seavium, we turn these market shifts into clarity. Discover how AI helps you find and fix vessels faster at go.seavium.com.
S.Africa seeks to save birds from wind turbine risks
Real-time, turbine-by-turbine curtailment beats blanket shutdowns: it protects priority species while preserving output — in Swellendam, South Africa (AFP) Oct 23, 2025
Powerful gusts shook an observation post perched on a hill at a wind farm in South Africa as two monitors scanned the landscape through binoculars. The Overberg mountains stretched along the horizon, but the monitors - bundled in scarves - were focused on activity much closer: around a giant wind turbine, a small, dark silhouette had appeared. "Stop turbine 11, please. Cape vulture,"
Why this matters offshore: biodiversity risk is moving from EIA paperwork to live operations. Coastal and offshore wind clusters will see more curtailment triggers tied to migration windows, weather, and visual/radar detections. That shifts how we plan access. More short-notice maintenance runs. More standby clauses. And vessels that can support sensors, data links, and rapid safe-to-work windows without burning unnecessary fuel.
Concrete trend we’re seeing: tenders increasingly specify wildlife detection plus automated curtailment logs, and ask for CTVs/guard vessels ready to maintain masthead radar/cameras and to time arrivals around curtailment windows. DP2 CTVs gain an edge for precise station-keeping during sensor work. Hybrid or battery-boosted CTVs help hold position and loiter with lower emissions when shutdown windows extend. Ports scheduling (e.g., night-time access and quiet transits) is becoming part of the mitigation toolkit.
Plan for targeted curtailment as a standard operational constraint—and a competitive advantage for teams who design it into schedules, contracts, and vessel specs.
At Seavium, we turn these market shifts into clarity. Discover how AI helps you find and fix vessels faster at go.seavium.com.