Houlder has announced its jacket foundation lifting tool is available for hire following its successful deployment during the construction of the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC), Aberdeen Bay.  The external jacket foundation lifting tool, which is operated remotely, ensured the 11 1,800t suction bucket jacket foundations were lifted and installed with significantly reduced human intervention, increasing the safety and speed of operations.

The external jacket foundation lifting tool, designed and supplied by Houlder’s Marine Equipment business, has the following benefits;

• Design and operation requires no modification to the jacket design
• Capable of lifting 2,000t jackets
• Allows for the remote engagement and disengagement of the tool, thus removing the requirement for personnel working at height to  install the tool prior to lifting
• No umbilical is required

The jacket foundation lifting tool also ensured the jacket foundation structures were not over stressed by any temporary load cases throughout the engagement, lift and installation phases. You can see the tool inaction onboard the giant Asian Hercules crane vessel below.

Wireless control provides remote operators with confirmation the tool is engaged and that the lifting operation is safe to commence. Three mounted cameras enable the operator to position the lifting tool into jacket lugs quickly. Guides and fins enable the system to find its fit on the lugs for the engagement of the locking pins. This removes any requirement to work at height. Release is also automated. The tool is designed to be inherently safe. The load is safely retained should the unit lose power. An integrated power supply is included, as is a secondary means of operation should the primary controls or power system fail.

The jacket foundation lifting tool, with a faultless operation record, is now available for other applications. Houlder is in discussion with owners and operators working on projects across Europe.