Last Updated on October 24, 2024 by PALFINGER

When PALFINGER MARINE secured a frame agreement to become the main supplier of state-of-the-art, fully electric, and remotely operated offshore cranes – in short: jib cranes – for all newbuilds of long-time customer and partner Aker BP, the excitement about this massive order was palpable throughout the company. Accordingly, we are thrilled to announce an upcoming major milestone in the delivery of pedestals for the jib cranes to be ultimately installed on the Munin and Fenris offshore platforms respectively.

A MASSIVE LANDMARK ORDER

To remind ourselves of the enormity of the order on hand, we sat down with Thomas Imbert, Project Manager at PALFINGER MARINE, to talk about volume and progress. Thomas has been a project manager in Bergen, Norway, since 2007. Despite his vast experience, even he still seems impressed by the framework agreement with Aker BP:

The deal makes us the main supplier of our offshore crane innovation for all Aker BP newbuilds.

Within the Yggdrasil and Valhall PWP-Fenris developments, five platforms are currently under construction, for which we will provide seven cranes,” Thomas explains.

A GROUP EFFORT ACROSS MANY DEPARTMENTS

Even though Thomas is a key project coordinator for the entire frame agreement with Aker BP delivering to the Fixed Facilities Alliance (FFA), he stresses that an order of this magnitude is not a one-man show. “I enjoy the unwavering support of five experienced project managers. Together, we liaise with the client and other stakeholders from contract signature to final delivery, monitor the schedule, assure quality standards, and manage costs in line with clearly defined key performance indicators (KPIs),” he clarifies and adds: “This would not be possible without smooth collaboration across all contributing PALFINGER MARINE departments.”

THE FIRST MAJOR MILESTONE

When asked about this first major contract milestone, Thomas is eager to emphasize its significance: “The landmark occasion involves the first actual delivery to Norwegian shipyards in Haugesund and Verdal. In this case, it entails the shipment of the lower pedestal adapter for the Munin crane and the full pedestal adapter for the Fenris crane.” One might think logistics are a challenge, but Thomas quickly discards that notion: “Our logistics department is always in control of such situations. The real challenge is organizing the delivery and synchronizing efforts in advance. The delivery itself is so exciting because it represents the culmination of all our efforts. The first delivery of a new project is, of course, even more special. This is a time when we get together and celebrate the achievement.”

LOOKING FORWARD AT THE JOURNEY TO COME

So, what happens next? Thomas explains that one needs to look back to fully understand what’s to come: “Simply put, the main phases of crane production are engineering, the fabrication of steel structures, assembly, testing, delivery, installation, and commissioning. The engineering started two years ago, leading into the initial assembly phase before this summer.” The delivery of the two pedestals will take this current chapter to the next level. “We can now complete assembly at two new sites set up within the shipyards, which should keep us busy until spring next year,” he describes.

jib crane for Aker BP

Our jib crane for Hugin B platform reaching the assembly site in Gdynia.

Thomas is, however, keen to point out that future phases of the project are equally exciting. “The next milestone is also one we are all looking forward to. Witnessing an assembled crane on the test stand is always a special moment, but it’s even more awe-inspiring when it involves a pioneering product like our jib crane. This will be the first time we see the result of years of research and development come alive,” he smiles. It certainly does sound thrilling to observe a crane making its first moves. Who knows, maybe we’ll check back in for that development too.

ABOUT THE JIB CRANE

The idea to develop a fully electric, remotely controlled jib crane range was born in 2015. Subsequently, three extensive customer studies propelled the development project forward to the solution PALFINGER MARINE offers today. For the Yggdrasil and Valhall PWP-Fenris developments, PALFINGER MARINE will collaborate with Optilift to develop and implement the solution for remote crane operations.

Designed for use on low-manned and unmanned offshore installations in the oil & gas and offshore wind industries, these cranes are designed to withstand the harshest environments. They not only make work safer for crane operators and support personnel, but also consume significantly less power than conventional offshore cranes.

For more information on PALFINGER MARINE’s fully electric jib cranes, we encourage you to look back at our story about the development journey of our jib crane or the product presentation delivered by our esteemed colleague Cyrielle Gorini-Gonçalves at the 2023 International Offshore Crane and Lifting Conference. And don’t forget to keep an eye out for future updates on this exciting, ongoing project.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Follow our updates from the marine world on