Royal Niestern Sander, Wagenborg and Ampelmann sign agreement for the provision of a W2W Gangway for newbuild icebreaker
DELFZIJL, June 10 – Ampelmann, Royal Niestern Sander and Royal Wagenborg signed an agreement for the supply of an ice-strengthened walk-2-work gangway. This system will be installed on the newbuild shallow draught icebreaking walk-to-work vessel that will be delivered to its new owners on December 2021. Together with the vessel, the motion compensated gangway of Ampelmann will perform crew transfer services for up to 40 persons from the shallow Nabil Port to offshore platforms near the East Coast of Sakhalin. The vessel will be operated by Mercury Sakhalin.
Developed for harsh environmental conditions
Building on the local experience and strong track record of Ampelmann with the N-Type (Icemann), this gangway is specially developed for the harsh environmental conditions at the East Coast of Sakhalin. The integration between the gangway and the vessel is unique, as the system has a winter and summer position by means of a skidding system. This optimizes the safe transfer of the crew changes and the workability of both the system and the vessel. In the winter the gangway is positioned aft as the vessel is operating in ice conditions with transfer direction over the stern. In the summer the gangway is positioned mid-ship for optimal workability. This dual mode results in year-round operational support to the end client.
Third walk-to-work project
This agreement is the third time Ampelmann, Niestern Sander and Wagenborg cooperate. Starting back in 2015 with the Ampelmann A-type installed on the Kroonborg, the second Ampelmann A-type followed on the Kasteelborg in 2018. Both walk-2-work vessels are operated by Wagenborg Offshore in the Southern North Sea and have performed over 100,000 safe crew transfers.
The design and construction of this vessel strengthens the position of Niestern Sander in building specialized offshore vessels, including icebreakers and walk-to-work vessels.
