Appendices 
123 
Offshore Structure 
Offshore structures in terms of this standard are those offshore installations that are perma 
nently installed or only installed short-term for a specific purpose and floating structural or 
technical facilities, including artificial islands. Each of the above include the auxiliary equip 
ment necessary for its implementation and operation that serve: 
• the generation of energy from water, current and wind, 
• the transmission of energy from water, current and wind, 
• other economic purposes or 
• oceanographic examinations. 
Non-offshore structures in terms of this standard include ships as well as floatable platforms 
and ships transformed into platforms, even though these may be attached for recommissio 
ning purposes, and are not subject to sentence 1 above, navigation signs, facilities that are 
approved according to mining regulations, facilities that require monitoring in terms of statu 
tory product safety regulations as well as passive fishing gear used by the fishing industry (for 
a more detailed definition, please refer to Marine Facilities Ordinance, Art. 1). 
Offshore Substation 
An offshore substation is part of an offshore wind farm and serves to connect up the different 
voltage levels between the cabling within the wind farm and the export cables that either run 
directly to the coast (alternating current connection) or to the converter station (direct current 
connection). 
Apart from power transformers, an offshore substation always consists of switchgears, further 
measuring and control technology and auxiliary systems aimed at upholding operations. 
Offshore Vehicle Coordinator (OVC) 
The offshore vehicle coordinator coordinates all maritime and flying traffic between the base 
port and the implementation zone and is the first person to be contacted by the rescue teams 
in the event of an emergency. He/she has to be available 24/7 and must be reachable by all 
the operating units. He/she must have a general overview of all the persons situated within the 
implementation zone and their valid training certificates. He/she has to be notified of all work 
in advance. 
Offshore Wind Turbine 
Wind turbine on the open seas in accordance with IEC 61400-3 
Operating Release 
Upon the granting of operating release, the project enters the actual operating phase - from 
an administrative perspective. The operating release is granted only once. 
Operating Permit 
The operating permit for an offshore wind farm or an offshore structure is granted or with 
drawn by the BSH in conjunction with the operating release and is required for its operation. 
After a reported interruption during the operating phase, an “operating permit” to resume ope 
ration is granted. 
Operational Structure 
The structure that is mounted on top of the support structure and which fulfils the main func 
tion of the construction (rotor/nacelle assembly in the case of an offshore wind turbine, resp. 
topside in the case of an offshore substation).