Major Offshore Renewables Emergency Exercise Sets New Standards for Industry Preparedness
The Offshore Renewable Energy Emergency Forum (OREEF) has published the Exercise Blyth report, marking a significant milestone in the UK’s drive to strengthen emergency response across the offshore renewables sector.
Held in June 2025 at the Moray East Wind Farm, Exercise Blyth brought together over 200 participants from government, emergency services, and industry—including HM Coastguard, Police Scotland, Ocean Winds, Vestas, ESVAGT, and many others. The scenario: a walk-to-work vessel collides with a wind turbine, triggering a complex, multi-agency response involving casualties, missing persons, and a full-scale search and rescue operation.
Key Findings and Lessons Learned
- The exercise provided a credible test of emergency arrangements, revealing both strengths and areas for improvement in communications, command and control, and inter-agency coordination.
- While individual organisations demonstrated robust internal procedures, the report highlights a need for clearer guidance and joint training to ensure seamless multi-agency responses.
- Communication challenges—such as gaps between turbine, vessel, and command centres—were identified, with recommendations for improved equipment and protocols.
- The importance of clear command structures was underscored, especially in incidents involving multiple stakeholders.
- The exercise also tested media handling, emphasising the need for unified messaging and rapid, coordinated public communications.
Recommendations for the Sector
The report sets out 17 recommendations, including:
- Regular joint training and exercises with commercial partners.
- Review and enhancement of emergency response documentation.
- Adoption of best practice guidelines for casualty repatriation and reception centres.
- Improved notification processes for government agencies.
- Use of pre-approved holding statements for media enquiries.
A Lasting Legacy
Exercise Blyth is part of the TRIREX series, designed to drive continuous improvement in emergency preparedness for offshore renewables. The learnings will be tracked and implemented by OREEF, ensuring the sector remains ready for even the most challenging incidents.
As the UK’s offshore renewables industry continues to expand, exercises like Blyth are vital for safeguarding lives, assets, and the environment.
“BLYTH represents a significant contribution to the continuous improvement of emergency preparedness and response in the renewables sector, aligning fully with the aims of OREEF itself.”
— Sarah Bray, Chair of OREEF
Read the full Exercise Blyth report and watch the training video at www.oeer.uk/oreef.