VIDEO: Giant pipelayer docks in Amsterdam port


Allseas’ pipe laying vessel ‘Solitaire’ on Monday, February 29 passed IJmuiden’s sea lock and moored in the Port of Amsterdam. Measuring in at 397 metres, the ‘MV Solitaire’ is the largest ship to have made the passage through the 400-metre-long Noordersluis lock.

Owned by Swiss/Dutch offshore pipe-laying and subsea construction company Allseas, the pipe-laying vessel will be undergoing heavy maintenance and adjustments in Amsterdam. The vessel will be used for the construction of natural gas pipeline systems and oil pipelines.

It is currently moored in the USA Terminal/Dutch Offshore Base in the Amerikahaven port.

Michiel Zwagerman, owner-director of Dutch Offshore Base, said: “Given the presence of the crane ship the MB1 here in the port, it only made sense for us to offer Allseas to have the adjustments and construction carried out here as well.”

Richard ter Haak, CEO of Ter Haak Group, part of Dutch Offshore Base joint venture, said: “The arrival of the Solitaire is beneficial to the Port of Amsterdam and a milestone for Amsterdam’s offshore operations. In taking on this challenge, we are demonstrating our capacity in this area both here in the Netherlands and internationally. We have really expanded our services with this project, and now other companies operating in the offshore industry will also start considering Port of Amsterdam as an option.”

Port of Amsterdam’s Chief Operations Officer Koen Overtoom said: “We are very proud of the arrival of the Solitaire, as it is sure to be a great boost for the offshore operations in our port and will also create more jobs in the area. The guts, vision and sense of enterprise of our local companies have paved the way for the arrival of the Solitaire, which will be a great asset to the Port of Amsterdam, the city itself, and the region as a whole.”

The 420-crew ship can carry up to around 22,000 tonnes of pipelines and installs 9 kilometres of pipeline at a maximum depth of 2.7 kilometres every 24 hours.

The ship is scheduled to return to sea in summer 2016.