Royal IHC has delivered a J-Lay system following one of the most complex mobilisation operations ever seen in the North East of England, according to the company. The system will be installed onto ZPMC’s multi-purpose vessel the JSD6000 in China later this year.

IHC’s J-Lay systems are capable of installing a wide range of multi-joint rigid pipes. The wide-angle of adjustment ensures the systems can perform efficiently in both shallow and ultra-deepwater. Multiple travelling tower clamps, an adjustable stinger, a dedicated bulky item handler and fully integrated IHC multi-joint pipe factory contribute to the high functionality and low cycle time of the system.

IHC’s track record includes the record-breaking J-lay tower for Saipem’s FDS2. This J-lay system was delivered in 2010 and is still one of the world’s largest and most versatile of its kind. It is capable of deploying quad joints at line tensions of up to 1500 tonnes and holding the pipe string in the hang-of clamp at catenary tensions of up to 2000 tonnes. The system is able to accommodate pipes from 4 to 36 inches and can work in shallow and deep water, with the tower angle adjustable from 45 to 96 degrees.

This article first appeared in SWZ|Martime, a sister publication of PCJ.