Jan De Nul Group and LS Cable and System are jointly responsible for the design, supply, installation & protection and testing of the submarine power cables that transport the energy generated by the wind farms Hollandse Kust (Noord and West Alpha) to the mainland. The Belgian owned business contacted Commercial Rib Charter at the beginning of 2021 seeking an optimized fleet of multi-purpose vessels to deliver crew transfers, ICMA compatible dive support, cable management and survey works.
As a tier one marine engineering contractor, with expertise in offshore services, Jan De Nul have quickly become the trusted partners to global organizations and governments delivering large-scale offshore energy infrastructure programmes. They have successfully delivered projects such as cable installations on Formosa 2 and are currently preparing the ADNOC-TAQA Lightning Project, the first-of-its-kind HVDC submarine cable project in the Middle East and MENA region.
The Challenge
After successfully being awarded the Hollandse Kust Noord and West Alpha project, following a rigorous tender process, Jan De Nul recognized the importance of having an on-demand fleet of vessels that would enable them to maintain flexibility in their work schedules to meet strict commercial and operational deadlines. They sought a trusted partner who would work in collaboration at every step in the project, with the ability to mobilise vessels on a 24-hour basis with experienced crew.
We were approached by our client for the versatility of our multipurpose fleet, established track record of supporting other major offshore infrastructure projects and our commercial work boat certification standards.
Mobilising Commercial Rib Charter
In support of our client’s programme of work, CRC Sentinel rapidly mobilized to the Dutch port of Ijmuiden to assist with crew transfers to the offshore jack-up installation vessel, IMCA compatible dive support and cable survey operations. CRC Sentinel’s versatility thereby ensured Jan De Nul experienced no delays in commencing work. The vessel was seamlessly able to carry out dive support and crew transfers by day and surveying the worksite’s progress by night using its side-mounted multibeam echo sounder.
Subsequently, additional vessels were mobilized by CRC to the worksite on the Dutch coast and immediately put into action. These Open and Cabin Ribs with highly experienced crew members managed the cable and umbilical bights in strong tidal conditions whilst working to the client’s schedule on a 24-hour shift basis.
To ensure CRC were able to provide a dynamic and on-demand service for Jan De Nul, on site Project Management provided a central liaison point for the client’s works supervisor when organising logistics around challenging work conditions and dynamic work schedules. This dedicated on-site management guaranteed the skilled crew of 17 from Commercial Rib Charter were well briefed on daily tasks, and Jan De Nul were able to call out vessels at short notice.
The Results
As a result of Commercial Rib Charter’s multi-purpose vessel support, Jan De Nul were able to successfully complete its nearshore trenching and cable laying operations to strict deadlines and we received excellent feedback in the process.
In support of the Hollandse Kust Noord and West Alpha Project, Commercial Rib Charter’s added value was quickly noticed. Its combination of a diverse and well-maintained fleet, up to standard vessels, experienced crew and a no-nonsense culture has made Commercial Rib Charter a reliable partner in support of large scale offshore projects.
Whether it be Dive Support, Guard Boats, Crew Transfers, Survey Work or Cable Pull Operations, Commercial Rib Charter can assist on any sized infrastructure programme with a fleet of multi-purpose vessels. For more information, please call our office on 01590 607103 or submit an online enquiry form.
