Heavy lifting specialist Mammoet has signed a support agreement with Heerema Marine Contractors to assist with the installation of topsides for TenneT’s 2GW offshore grid programme.
Under the agreement (contract signing pictured), Mammoet will support Heerema with the offshore installation of two giant topsides.
Mammoet will help to prepare them for floatover operations by skidding the topsides from a heavy transport vessel to the newly-built Heerema H-731 barge, using hydraulic skid shoes.
After the skid-over operation, Mammoet’s mega jack system will lift the topsides to the designated floatover height onboard the H-731.
A deck support frame (or floatover frame) will then be pulled underneath the topsides to enable their final installation onto jacket foundations.
TenneT’s 2GW programme will see a total of 14 high-voltage direct current (HVDC) offshore grid connection systems, each with a capacity of 2GW, installed in the North Sea by 2032. Six of these will be installed in Germany, and eight will be built in the Netherlands.
The HVDC systems receive and send ashore power generated by wind farms in the North Sea. They convert this power from AC to DC and offer a higher transmission capacity using fewer cables.
Sales director at Mammoet Richard Verhoeff said: “With this contract, Mammoet will be playing a key role in securing the future of energy in Northern Europe while showcasing our unique capabilities in both high-precision skidding and jacking operations.
“We are delighted to be working closely with Heerema and thank them for enabling us to play an even greater role in the wider energy transition.”
Heerema’s director of supply chain management and procurement Martijn Wijdeveld added: “Mammoet is a market leader in offshore wind heavy lift and transport, and has proven it has the knowledge, equipment and engineers to manage the world’s biggest projects.
“We look forward to collaborating with them, benefitting from their vast experience of carrying out heavy lifts and transports safely and efficiently.”