We’re delighted to welcome Sietse Gerssen of Ulstein Equipment to the magazine for a wide-ranging conversation that takes in many aspects of the company’s services and approach to business – as well as a little matter of setting a world record for the fastest installation of 108 monopiles at the ‘West of Duddon Sands’ wind farm…
PES: Welcome to the magazine. Would you like to explain a little about the company’s background and explain how you serve the wind industry?
Sietse Gerssen: Ulstein Equipment has a long history in providing engineering services to the offshore industry. Handling and lifting has been our main line of expertise, in which we have a strong focus to understand the root cause of the problem to find a solution to solve such
issues rather than compensating for their consequences.
Some examples of our work in the offshore wind industry are the Pile Gripper Frames supplied to Offshore WindForce JV (Boskalis/VolkerWessels) for their West of Duddon Sands Project and the upending frame & lifting tool package supplied to the HGN JV for the Baltic 2 pre-piling works.
PES: When did wind become a viable market for you? Is it an area that promises further growth?
SG: Since the very start of the company. A lot of our clients have moved into the
offshore wind market from either a dredging or offshore Oil & Gas (O&G) background and we have moved there with them, having
recognised the good opportunities. Because of this experience we came in contact with many new contractors in offshore wind and are assisting them in their operations and construction/installation projects.
