
Heavy lift muscle arrives in Den Helder to assist in North Sea decom job
Decommissioning of old offshore platforms requires serious heavy lift capabilities, which is why Bonn & Mees’ sheerleg Matador 3 was dispatched to Port of Den Helder. The crane barge with a 1,800-ton lifting capacity will assist in the decommissioning job ongoing in the Dutch sector of the North Sea.
DHSS – Clarksons Port Services noted in its statement that Matador 3 will mobilise to bring in the first structures of an offshore platform which is currently being dismantled offshore. Structures will be brought into port soon and placed onto a seagoing barge which is alongside in front DHSS support base.
DHSS said it is currently assisting its client AF Gruppen during the decom campaign. Weekly helicopter flights, port logistics, warehousing as well as customs brokerage are the integrated logistic services DHSS team is delivering in close cooperation with all stakeholders.
It is worth reminding that AF Gruppen was hired by TotalEnergies EP Nederland for the removal and recycling of platforms in the Dutch sector of the North Sea.
The contract includes engineering, preparatory works, removal, transportation, recycling and disposal (EPRD) of 10 platforms with a combined weight of 17,000 tonnes. The project is planned to be completed by the end of 2025. The platforms will be transported to AF Environmental Base Vats for recycling.