PRESS RELEASE – Sarens has assisted Huisman with an upgrade of the pipelay crane vessel Saipem Constellation, which had its offshore mast crane reinforced. This will allow Saipem to increase the squeeze accuracy and to reach further with larger loads. 

The up-gradation was carried out in Schiedam, the Netherlands. The team had to plan the project according to the tide and synchronizing with the quay crane provided by the client for tailing the mast. The team decided to deploy the LR11350 to lift and install the mast and the SPMTs to transport the mast.

Sarens performed the installation in three phases. In August 2020, Sarens removed the 436-tonne mast with the LR11350 and transported it inside the workshop of Huisman for re-enforcement. In November, the mast was transported back from the workshop to the quayside for re-installation on the Saipem Constellation, weighing 30 tonnes more than it did before. The mast was then readied and lifted into its final position weighing 508 tonnes.

“We were performing lifts with an onshore crane to an offshore vessel. The offshore vessel was under the influence of the tide thus limiting the time frame allowed to complete the lifting activities. Even during the lifting activities, the crane had to follow the movement of the tide”, says project manager Bram Van Overwalle.