Big crane brings new berth to life

GLOBAL energy industry engineers Technip have opened Lerwick harbour’s new deep water berth using it as a base for a major reinstatement project in the Gryphon field 90 miles south east of Shetland.

Last September Technip were awarded the £35 million contract by Maersk Oil  to reinstate the oil field after its floating production storage operating (FPSO) vessel broke its moorings during storms in February last year.

Lerwick Port Authority pushed forward its work on a new 80 metre section of deep water quay under development at Greenhead so Technip could use Shetland as its main offshore support base for the work.

The Gryphon Area Reinstatement Programme involves installing 15 dynamic risers, two dynamic and two static umbilicals and 11 flexible flowlines, as well as subsea equipment.

Local civil engineering firm Tulloch Developments completed the quay at Berth Seven on 20 February, one month ahead of schedule, allowing Technip to hire in a specialist 1,250 tonne capacity Sarens crane, believed to be the biggest the port has ever seen.

Numerous deliveries of huge reels weighing up to 270 tonnes each came in during February aboard the coaster Abis Belfast, with the first being collected by ROV support vessel Fugro Symphony for installation this week.

The remainder of the 100 metre quay is due to be completed this month at a total cost of £5.3 million.

The deep water berth was dredged after the port won its dispute over the local council’s plans to build a bridge across the harbour’s north entrance.

Last month the council agreed to pay £4.8 million compensation to the port for the loss of a contract to dredge the harbour back in 2005.

Port chief executive Sandra Laurenson said the new berth was an important new facility to serve larger vessels now using the harbour and should help attract more traffic.

“The immediate use of the quay is a further endorsement of our proactive strategy in the continuing development of the port’s infrastructure and also demonstrates our flexibility in meeting industry requirements and timescales,” she said.

International logistics and marine service companies Peterson SBS and GAC Shipping are providing support to Technip from local bases.

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