Ampelmann has enhanced its existing E1000 gangway transfer system to speed up conversion of its gangway from personnel to cargo mode from at least ten minutes to less than one minute
The E1000 motion compensated access system can transform from a gangway into a crane boom as it is 30 metres in length and is capable of safely transferring people and up to 1,000 kilograms of cargo in rough sea states in wave heights up to 4.5 metres.
The new, enhanced, automated system now employs remote-controlled hydraulic pin pushers to fixate the gangway booms in less than one minute with one button. To switch from cargo to personnel transfer mode, the crane hoisting cable is placed in a freewheel mode to allow the booms to telescope, significantly increasing the available working time. Pins were previously manually deployed and the entire conversion process took at least ten minutes to complete.
Diederick Nierstrasz, Ampelmann’s offshore wind product development manager said: “Building on the success of the existing E1000, we recognised an opportunity to enhance the current system to reduce the time and physical effort taken to change the gangway work mode from personnel to cargo. With this safe and efficient innovation it now takes less than one minute. This is a huge time saving for our clients, resulting in a more efficent use of their valuable assets and increase of the overall project performance.”
“Due to the E1000’s versatility, the system is already the preferred choice in the offshore wind sector. This improvement will provide even greater operational efficiencies for our customers not only in offshore wind but also in the oil and gas industry where compensated lifting capacity is required.”
Four E1000 systems are currently being deployed, of which one by Siem Offshore Contractors on its vessels for inspection, maintenance and repair works on Germany’s first commercial offshore windfarm.
