SCALDIS SMC: Lifting at a higher level

Based in Antwerp, Scaldis Salvage & Marine Contractors has just celebrated its 20th anniversary as an offshore marine contractor, specialising in transportation and installation works, civil constructions and salvage jobs.

Since entering the offshore renewable market in 2007, there has been no looking back for Scaldis. The company has played a role in nearly all the offshore wind farms built in recent years, whether they were in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Germany or Ireland.

Although Scaldis had already carried out some smaller offshore wind projects, Thornton Bank, off Ostend in Belgium, was its first official renewable project. Scaldis carried out the lifting and installation of six concrete, gravity-based foundations for Phase I of the wind farm. Thereafter, many other offshore wind farm projects would follow.

In order to meet future market demands as offshore wind farms move further from shore into more challenging waters and with structures becoming heavier, Scaldis ordered a second heavy lift crane vessel at the beginning of this year – the ‘Rambiz 4000’.

Linda Vanhaelst, responsible for Business Development & Marketing, comments: “When the offshore wind industry first started to develop, we knew it would be interesting for Scaldis, so we jumped straight in and we are still there. It really has not stopped since the first project.”

Transport and Installation scope

When the offshore renewable market first came to light, the company used its knowledge gained from the oil and gas industry. Jules Schelkens, Commercial Manager, says: “Transportation and installation are comparable, with a similar installation system and sequence used in both oil and gas and wind. We are involved in all aspects regarding transportation and installation of jackets and topsides for substations such as deploying tugs and barges, designing the rigging and sea fastenings, piling works and grouting. ROVs, welding and other services have been gradually added to our portfolio so we can now offer the complete range to our offshore wind customers.”

The company’s background in oil and gas gave it a very realistic view of the challenges of working offshore, he says: “Scaldis is very familiar with oil and gas methodologies and health and safety regulations. This gave us a big advantage as we could apply these standards to the renewable industry.” 

This was also vital when it came to working with subcontractors. “When we entered offshore renewables we chose oil and gas subcontractors that we knew were reliable and trustworthy. We always work with carefully selected companies and people with whom we have a long-lasting, strong relationship. Our subcontractors are well trained and respect our safety awareness procedures.”

The topside was lifted by the Rambiz 3000 from a barge in IJmuiden, near Amsterdam, and sea-fastened. Thereafter the topside was transported in the hooks of the Rambiz 3000 to the wind farm. Scaldis had specially designed frames installed on the bow of Rambiz 3000. The OHVS was installed in 14 hours in February this year. It is a known challenge to find a good offshore installation window for the North Sea in winter.

In-hook transportation was the preferred option to reduce offshore operational procedures and handling as much as possible during installation. This increased the opportunity of finding a suitable installation window.

“We think together with our clients to find the best working method. Luchterduinen is a prime example of a project undertaken in challenging circumstances outside the usual offshore season. We developed an inventive solution that made the installation safer and quicker.”

Additionally, Scaldis has been busy working on the Gemini wind farm, where it carried out the transportation and installation of two offshore high voltage stations in August. The piling, grouting and installation of the topsides was executed according to plan and the whole project took just four weeks. “We had to wait for a big summer storm to pass, but the job could still be completed in time.”

The company is also set to work on the Nordsee One wind farm, where it is responsible for the jacket and topside installation. This is just one of the many projects Scaldis will execute in 2016.

In the meantime, activity continues in the oil and gas sector, its other core market. Currently, Scaldis is busy working together with its JV partner on two decommissioning projects in the North Sea. The decommissioning market plays a key role in the future plans of Scaldis.

The company has always planned to focus on both markets, with both oil and gas and wind now contributing roughly an equal amount of its turnover. The Rambiz 3000 and the 4000 are perfect for both markets.

And for the future, Scaldis is considering options away from its home market. “With the addition of our new vessel, we will be able to go further afield. There are interesting opportunities in the Middle East and Central America.” In the short term, Scaldis expects oil and gas to be a challenging market, while the offshore renewables market remains steady.

In general, structures are getting heavier and further offshore, but the conventional installation sequence will remain relatively unchanged in the short term, he says. “We will probably see an evolution that reduces the installation and commissioning time. There is standardisation taking place in some sectors to reduce costs. This is necessary to make the offshore wind industry stronger and ready for the future.”

Helen Hill