In the case of marine environments, much of the R&D and Innovation must be carried out in the real environment. It is not a question of simply testing the end product or service in real conditions but it is necessary to carry out tests at sea throughout the development process to better meet the needs and difficulties that the environment itself poses. Bearing this need in mind, the consortium has designed HARSH LAB, which enables on site experiments to be carried out during the different development stages of these products and services. 

Although there are some laboratories in the marine environment to carry out specific validations, there is no worldwide offshore laboratory that integrates the versatility and huge range of testing that HARSH LAB offers. 

HARSH LAB seeks to become:

• A floating laboratory in the marine environment for the validation of components of the equipment and subsystems that are going to operate in a hostile environment and which integrates a wide variety of testing in the offshore environment.
• A floating laboratory where teams working in offshore environments can be trained, as well as a lab which offers specific training courses for tasks in the marine environment.
• An authorised centre to obtain high value training qualifications for integration in tasks in the offshore market.

HARSH LAB will enable:

• The evaluation of materials, components and independent systems in a real offshore environment: atmospheric, splash, immersion, confined and seabed zones.
• Testing of solutions to protect against corrosion, fouling, corrosion-fatigue.
• Testing of solutions for corrosion monitoring.
• Study of the performance of umbilicals, risers, handling and anchoring systems.
• Training of personnel in offshore operations.

The development of HarshLab has been funded by the Basque Government through the HARSH project. In order to build models and instruments, Tecnalia conducted 123 tests at El Pardo Model Basin (CEHIPAR).

COMPORTAMIENTO EN LA MAR DE HARSH LAB - Ensayo CEHIPAR 2017 Condiciones Operativas:

Following its official opening last June in the port of Bermeo, HarshLab1.0 was commissioned on 12th September. The manoeuvre consisted of its towing from the port of Bermeo to its final location in the marine energy experimentation area BiMEP (Biscay Marine Energy Platform) in Armintza, where the complicated manoeuvre of hooking it up to the 3 previously installed mooring lines was carried out. These lines will anchor it in a particularly complicated place, with a depth of 65m and hit by the heavy swell that is characteristic of the area. 

There are currently 8 companies testing at the HarshLab1.0, whereby the initial occupancy is around 30%. 

• HarshLab v2.0: Offshore lab with equipment, modules, underwater connectors and the possibility of access and O&M manoeuvres. Launch in 2019. It will also be installed at BiMEP in 2019.