A first ‘snapshot’ study into the engineering performance of innovative Reef cubes® recently installed at RWE’s Rampion offshore wind farm as scour protection, found the deployment remained stable throughout a first winter in the harsh English Channel. An ecological survey to measure the effects on marine life is also underway and is due to be complete by the end of the year.
Approximately 75,000 Reef cubes® were installed around turbine J04 in October 2025 as part of the Reef Enhancement for Scour Protection (RESP) project, led by RWE and ARC marine. The installation was carried out by Rohde Nielsen using a standard industry fall-pipe vessel. The system was designed first and foremost to perform an engineering function: stabilising the seabed around the turbine foundation and protecting it from further scour.
At the same time, its Nature-Inclusive Design introduces structural complexity into the scour protection itself, offering marine life nooks and crannies on the surface which helps them attach to the substrate, as well as passageways for shelter. The design demonstrates how ecological objectives can be considered alongside the core engineering requirements of offshore infrastructure.
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