Houlder’s pile lifting equipment is returning to work thanks to a new rental agreement with GeoSea, DEME Group’s specialist in complex offshore marine construction projects.

“Houlder’s marine equipment business stream has been working with windfarm developers and contractors to develop a range of lifting and handling equipment,” explains James Russell (pictured), Marine Equipment Director. “Our lifting tool has been designed for safer and faster offshore wind farm installation operations. The remote controlled hook-up and release system engages directly with a foundation pile’s flange. This eliminates the need for additional lifting points or straps – the optimal solution where the lifting point overhangs the deck of the installation vessel or is out of reach.  For the current project the tool will be configured to lift 6.5m diameter monopiles at 690t.  Options are available for larger and heavier piles in future.”

The tool will be deployed for the installation of  Vattenfall’s Horns Rev 3 windfarm off the coast of Denmark. Horns Rev 3 will consist of 49 wind turbines with a total capacity of 406.7MW. It will generate power equivalent to the annual consumption of 425,000 Danish households.

Houlder has been an independent design, engineering and equipment supplier for thirty years. Its marine equipment business, based in London and Tyneside has more recently become a centre of mechanical, marine, electrical and controls engineering. The company is helping key offshore wind clients with a range of issues including securing large jackets in place during installation with powerful hydraulic rings; controlling pin pile installation with subsea templates; maintaining piles in the vertical during installation with deck mounted gripper arms; designing seafastenings and deck storage for foundations, blades and nacelles in transit and modelling optimised component logistics from factory gate to offshore installation.

Houlder’s range of pile lifting equipment and services will be highlighted at the Offshore Energy 2017 exhibition, Amsterdam, 10-11^th October