To provide stakeholders with the independent scientific evidence-base needed to inform policy to better understand the environmental & social effects of Marine Artificial Structures in the North Sea
As Programme Directors for INSITE since 2018, Howell Marine Consulting (HMC) have played a central role in defining and managing the impact pathways for this body of research. HMC established the programme’s governance, coordinated engagement across research institutes and operators, and, crucially, embedded impact planning into every stage, from commissioning and research design through to synthesis, communication, and legacy.
INSITE (Influence of marine artificial Structures In The Ecosystem) is an industry-funded research programme supporting rigorous, independent, high-quality research. Its mission is to build the scientific evidence base needed to understand the effects of MAS and to guide sustainable management and marine policy into the future.
INSITE is a leading research programme dedicated to understanding the ecological and social roles of Marine Artificial Structures (MAS) in the North Sea. These structures, including oil and gas platforms, pipelines, offshore wind installations and shipwrecks form an intricate network across the UK and wider European continental shelf. They support diverse marine life, shape sediment, and water movement as well as creating habitats that can both benefit and challenge ecosystem health.
Beyond environmental influence, MAS also shape public attitudes, community perspectives, and societal expectations about how our seas are used and managed. Gaining a fuller picture of their impacts across all stages of the life cycle, from installation and operation to decommissioning and potential repurposing, is essential for informing policy, responsible stewardship, and strategic decision-making in an increasingly busy and dynamic seascape.
ECOWind is bringing together experts from science, policy and industry to understand how offshore wind affects ecosystems, and the species and habitats that make them, in order to reduce negative impacts on marine life while tackling climate change.
The ECOFlow research programme focuses on enhancing understanding of how marine ecosystems will respond to the planned large-scale expansion of floating offshore wind in UK waters.