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New generation offshore crane gives lift to unmanned platform
Unity Platform’s 30-year-old offshore crane to be replaced by new Liebherr Ram Luffing crane, while CSOV newbuilds are specified with new fully electric handling and lifting solutions
The Forties Pipeline System (FPS) is an integrated oil and gas transportation and processing system that carries around 40% of the UK’s oil production supply, bringing over 400,000 bbls of oil per day (bopd) ashore. Owned and operated by INEOS, the FPS uses a vast network of over 800 km of pipelines in the North Sea to transport crude oil and gas from some 80 offshore fields for processing at the Kinneil Terminal, Grangemouth, Scotland.
As part of the system, INEOS Forties Pipeline System (FPS) operates the Unity Platform, which acts as a gathering hub receiving crude oil and gas via six incoming pipelines connected to other offshore installations operated by other companies.
Located in Block 21/9 of the North Sea in 122 m of water, the platform is a ‘Not Permanently Attended Installation’ (NPAI) and is operated remotely from the onshore control centre at the Kinneil Terminal. While unmanned, the platform is visited by maintenance crews on a regular basis by either helicopter or, for more intensive maintenance programs, by a ‘Walk to Work’ (W2W) vessel with accommodations on board.
To handle everything from equipment and spare parts supply to food and provisions, Unity is equipped with a Ram Luffing (RL) offshore crane, which has been in service since the 1990s.
This offshore crane has logged more than 30 years of service in the harsh North Sea environment, and INEOS FPS wanted to replace it with a more advanced model. After a technical visit to Liebherr’s manufacturing facility in Rostock, the chemical and oil and gas company selected a Liebherr RL 650 model. The compact offshore crane, which Liebherr says is one of its most advanced, is designed for small drilling rigs and unmanned platforms, with a maximum lifting capacity of 25 t, a jib length of 36 m and slewing radius of 360 degrees.
The new RL 650 for INEOS FPS has a streamlined, compact design with a capacity to lift 15 t and an outreach of 30 m, making it well suited for the needs of the Unity Platform operations.
For larger platforms, Liebherr manufactures Ram Luffing offshore cranes with maximum capacities of 100 t and maximum outreaches of 55 m.
“The fact that the entire crane solution is designed and manufactured in-house speaks for the consistently high quality of Liebherr cranes and their impressive longevity,” said INEOS FPS project lead, Jason Duncan. “The Unity Platform is a strategic asset to the UK and reliability is important to our customers and our business.”
Emerging solutions onboard
Increasingly, offshore vessel owners are looking to electrification to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to advance charterers’ sustainability ambitions in the offshore renewables market. This extends to offshore vessel cargo handling and lifting operations. German windfarm vessel owner Windward Offshore has selected Seaonics 3D Electric Controlled Motion Compensated (ECMC) cranes for its two newbuild commissioning service operation vessels (CSOVs) under construction at Vard in Norway.
“These advanced seven-ton units will bring a big operational advantage for our charterers”
Founded by Blue Star Group, Diana Shipping and SeraVerse, in co-operation with the SeaRenergy Group, Windward Offshore expects to take delivery of the first CSOV in H2 2025, and the second vessel in 2026.
“Equipping two of our vessels with these advanced seven-ton units will bring a big operational advantage for our charterers in their offshore projects,” said Windward Offshore managing director, Benjamin Vordemfelde.
The ECMC C25 3D Crane features a fully electrically controlled motion compensation system, ensuring smooth and precise movements, even in challenging conditions.
The boom control, slew control and telescope control are all electric driven and used dynamically to enable 3D compensation of the crane tip. The simplified design promotes operational safety and efficiency, reducing the time and effort required for cargo handling.
This order marks the ninth and 10th units sold by Seaonics since the first ECMC crane was delivered last year. Additionally, it follows on the heels of one placed by Norwind Offshore that was announced in March. The Norwegian vessel owner is incorporating an ECMC 7t-3D crane on its newbuild 85.5-m CSOV Norwind Helm. Launched at Vard Shipyards Romania, Braila, in February, the CSOV will be moved to Vard Brattvaag, Norway, where the last equipment will be mounted, and the tests and trials will be performed. The crane will be installed at the end of November 2024. Norwind Helm will be the first CSOV with two 3D cranes installed. This delivery is in addition to the CSOV’s Seaonics ECMC Gangway with integrated 3D crane.
In 2022, Norwind Offshore inked a deal with Seaonics for the Seaonics ECMC gangways, which incorporate autonomous operations and functions. They have a specially designed auto-landing system based on imaging and sensor technology to minimise the risk of human error during critical operations.
At the time of the contract, Seaonics managing director, Håkon Fauske, said: “Our objective is always to lead the way when it comes to developing fully electric handling and lifting solutions that help our customers in the offshore wind market to perform necessary maritime operations safely and effectively and make the transition to zero net emissions.”
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