SECTOR SNAPSHOT Ӏ OFFSHORE (PT 1)


Modular Transporters (SPMTs) required to perform the three phases across two locations. In total 682 axle lines were used, sourced from Mammoet’s global fleet of over 5,000, and delivered on container vessels and via land transport. Special grillage beams for the


SPMTs and bespoke load-out frames were fabricated to aid the jacking and loadout processes.


TANDEM RINGS Wolvertem, Belgium- headquartered heavy lift and transport company Sarens is also breaking new ground with offshore wind sector related lifting and loadout work. Two of its largest ring cranes,


the SGC-120/1 and the SGC-170, have worked in tandem to lift monopiles at the SIF Group yard in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Sarens says it is the first time that two ring cranes – let alone such large ones as these – have operated simultaneously. The lifting plan developed by Sarens' engineering team has enabled the cranes to perform continuous loading operations of the monopiles. “This type of operation


represents a significant step forward in the evolution of heavy lifting capabilities worldwide,” said Matthias Sarens, R&D manager at Sarens. “It is a benchmark in the development and execution of large-scale engineering operations.” Sarens has also completed the


weighing and loadout of Hornsea Topside Z01 at the Aibel MTP Yard in Map Ta Phut, Thailand. This critical operation, conducted for Aibel Norway and Orsted, was a key milestone in the Hornsea offshore wind project – one of the largest wind farms in the world. One of the biggest challenges


of this project was the restricted quayside capacity, which required careful weight distribution during the loadout. Given the low capacity of the quayside, Sarens’ engineering team conducted CAudl calculations to ensure that the lowest possible loads were applied during the loadout. The objective was to keep


loads below 5tn CAudl, requiring specialised equipment. Sarens deployed a range


of high-capacity weighing and transport equipment to meet the project’s technical requirements. For weighing this included nine


400-tonne jacks, 29 500-tonne jacks, 38 500-tonne loadcells, and two hydraulic power units. For the transport it used 387


SPMTs (a mix of Kamag and Scheuerle units), and 16 PPU units. The Hornsea Topside Z01, measuring 73.6m in length, 50.6m in width, 40m in height, and weighing 7.,657 tonnes, was transported by a crew of ten operators. Sarens is also supporting the


construction of the Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm, one of Scotland’s largest offshore wind power projects. Located in the North Sea, the project will supply clean, renewable electricity to the Scottish national grid through onshore transmission facilities in East Lothian once it becomes fully operational in 2027. As part of this components, including 18 jackets, 54 monopiles, and 30 transition pieces (TPs), are being manufactured in China and shipped to Europe through a network of specialised contractors. For the project Sarens is


responsible for in-plant transfers, weighing and load-out of 32 monopiles, each weighing around 2000 tonnes, at the yard of CWHI, which specialises in large scale manufacturing for offshore energy, renewable energy, oil and gas applications, in Qinzhou, China.


Tandem lifts


by Sarens’ SGC ring cranes in Rotterdam


For this Sarens used 80 axle


lines and four PPUs for production, increasing to 104 axle lines, 6 PPUs and 16 jacks during load-out. And at CWHI’s Nansha, China,


site Sarens has carried out the vertical transport and weighing of 30 TPs following the flipping operation. The work was carried out with 32 axle lines of SPMT and two PPUs. As part of the project’s scope


Sarens provided its CC8800-1 and CC6800 cranes to Chinese state company CFHI to handle the hoisting of 18 jackets, each weighing approximately 3000 tonnes – making them among the heaviest wind power jackets currently produced worldwide. As part of Dajin Heavy


Industry’s contribution to the Inch Cape project, Sarens has undertaken the load-out operations for 22 monopiles, deploying 80 axle lines and 4 PPUs. Sarens says the project marks another milestone in its growing offshore wind work, having successfully transported and shipped more than 200 monopiles to Europe since 2023. It is clear from the projects and


partnerships emerging worldwide is that innovation is no longer optional – it is fundamental. Next month, in part two of this


feature, we look at how innovation extends to cable-laying vessels, monopile installation vessels, and even hoists on the offshore wind turbines themselves.


CRANES TODAY 35


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