the cable which can lower the pipeline to the seabed
the gigantic workshop
the way the pipe rolls to the sea
the pipe; the centre of operations
like a skyscraper
spare parts
the new cantilever outrigger crane
the tower crane of the dock bottem is dwarfed by the ship
the impession of the scale
the logo of the company
the new cantilever outrigger crane
the tower crane of the dock bottem is dwarfed by the ship
the impession of the scale
the logo of the company
the new cantilever outrigger crane
the tower crane of the dock bottem is dwarfed by the ship
the impession of the scale
the logo of the company
Today I visited the Verolme Keppel shipyard near Rotterdam. In drydock was the largest pipe layer in the world; the SOLITAIRE of Allseas. It is a 30 year old bulkcarrer , first converted a the SwanHunter shipyard on Tyne. Now converted for laying pipelines as deep as 2500 meter. The maximum pipelaying speed is 9 kilomter per hour. Ths ship works mostly on the North Sea our the Gulf of Mexico.
It is in fact a large floating factory with a multinational crew.It is on the frontiers of modern technology.
The working is goining seven days a week , 24 hours a day. In two days time the ship will be undocked and divers will attach the 8 propelleors.
