Siem Aimery contributed to completion of cable laying ahead of schedule

Siem Offshore Contractors (SOC) announced, that all 73 inner array grid cables of the Veja Mate Offshore Wind Farm have been installed and trenched 10 weeks ahead of schedule. One of the vessels involved in the operation was the Siem Aimery cable layer, entirely built and delivered by the Polish yard Remontowa Shipbuilding SA in Gdansk.

Read also: Polish built CLV Siem Aimery christened and delivered to Siem Offshore

According to the company’s press release, the submarine composite cables were successfully installed since 1 October 2016 using the “Siem Duo” consisting of the Cable Lay Vessel Siem Aimery and the Installation Support Vessel Siem Moxie.

The “Siem Duo” demonstrated its advanced weather operability during the harsh winter season, whereby both the operations of the gangway on the Siem Moxie as well as post-lay trenching by the Siem Aimery were undertaken in significant wave heights of up to 3 m.

The Siem Aimery loaded in excess of 95 km of copper core submarine composite cables directly into its two turntables in addition to the cable protection systems, which were loaded into a dedicated under-deck storage compartment. While the Siem Moxie assisted with the cable pull-in, termination and testing activities deploying SOC’s dedicated offshore support units (OSU) equipped with generators, pull-in winches, tools and equipment for personnel life support at the individual offshore work sites.

The OSUs were transferred using the Siem Moxie’s 3D motion-compensated crane, while the active motion-compensated “Walk to Work” gangway was used to facilitate more than 10,000 personnel transfers to and from the individual foundations and offshore substation. The cable termination and testing works continue and are expected to be completed within the next couple of weeks, also ahead of schedule.

– It is a pleasure to confirm the successful completion of another project ahead of schedule, our third project utilising the “Siem Duo”  – stated Regis Rougier, Managing Director of Siem Offshore Contractors. – The offshore crews of the Siem Aimery and Siem Moxie as well as the onshore project team have made us proud again by providing high quality services and workmanship! We are looking forward to the next challenges for our crews and teams on our next projects – he added.

Siem Offshore Contractors was awarded the engineering, procurement, installation and commissioning (EPIC) contract for the IAG cable system of the Veja Mate OWF in April 2015. The 67 wind turbine generators of the project are located 115km north of the German coastline within the German Bight sector of the North Sea in water depths of up to 40 metres.

– I am extremely happy that we have now brought the cable installation to a successful end, ahead of schedule – said Klaus Zwirlein, Veja Mate Cable Package Manager. – The weather has been very kind to us for most of the time but the credit mainly goes to the purpose built vessels and their crews that have proven their capabilities of executing cable installation works to the highest safety – and quality standards within a challenging offshore environment during a winter campaign – he emphasized.

It’s worth recalling, that the CLV Siem Aimery from Remontowa Shipbuiding SA has been the first vessel ever built from stratch as a cable layer at a Polish yard. She is also considered as the most innovative and technologically advanced vessel built in Poland over the last few years.

GL, rel (SOC)