Swire Blue Ocean’s jack-up vessel Pacific Orca is being fitted with a pile gripper at PD Ports’ newly redeveloped £35m quay at Teesport for work on the 400MW Rampion offshore wind farm.
The 161-metre long and 49-metre wide vessel is berthed at number one quay for several weeks while the fitting takes place.
It will then sail to the UK’s south coast to help position wind turbine piles into the seabed at Rampion.
PD Ports said the pile gripper has been constructed on site at Teesport.
It added that the 550m long quay has been significantly strengthened to take loads of 10 tonnes per square metre, making it suitable for the mobilisation of wind farm installation vessels.
Funding to upgrade the quay was secured through the Regional Growth Fund and was supported by Tees Valley Unlimited.
PD Ports chief executive officer David Robinson said: “Our number one quay has only just been declared open for business and one of the biggest wind farm installation vessels in the world is berthed there already.”
Image: Pacific Orca berthed at Teesport (PD Ports)
Pacific Orca fits out in Teesport
Swire Blue Ocean jack-up fitted with gripper for work on Rampion project
By EBS