Effect of offshore wind farms on waves and currents : offshore wind energy shipping safety monitoring and research programme (MOSWOZ)

This report, prepared under the MOSWOZ (Offshore Wind Energy Shipping Safety Monitoring and Research Programme), investigates the effects of offshore wind farms (OWFs) on waves, currents, and water levels in the North Sea, with implications for shipping safety. The North Sea hosts intensive shipping traffic and expanding OWF infrastructure. The study aims to assess whether OWFs significantly affect hydrodynamic and wave conditions, identify dependencies, and evaluate potential risks for navigation. The objectives of the study are twofold: 1. the development of a semi-advanced model to incorporate the OWF effects on the surface winds; 2. the analysis of the dependency on meteorological and physical conditions of the OWF effects on the current and wave conditions.