Provided - Keppel Offshore & Marine

Innovative solutions inThe NetherlandsKeppel Verolme, Keppel Offshore& Marine’s yard in the Netherlands,has built its reputation for qualitydeliveries as well as an ability todevelop innovative solutions forcustomers.Recently, the yard and Palfinger,an Austrian company, jointlydeveloped a new technology forthe maintenance and modificationof jackup legs, which are oftendifficult to reach due to their highposition. Traditionally, the riglegs are accessed by industry ropeaccess techniques, or by buildingscaffolding towers.The new technology, known asthe JUMP (Jack-Up MaintenancePlatform) system, is an integratedsolution involving telescopiccranes, aerial platforms, andsupply and rescue platforms. Ithas proven to be a safe, reliableand efficient alternative to thetraditional methods of accessingrig legs. With a stable platform towork on, the JUMP system providesan added benefit of allowing workto be done even in poor weatherconditions, thereby reducingproject downtime.project schedule, traditionalmethods to access the jackup legs,requiring building time, were notfeasible.In response to this challenge,Keppel Verolme installed twoJUMP systems on the jackup.Each system allowed 10 qualifiedstructural fitters and welders towork together on the rig legs, andthis enabled the six-leg section tobe lifted off in just 15 days, or fivedays per leg section.In Singapore, Keppel FELS iscurrently in discussion withPalfinger to bring the JUMP systemto its yards, and the technologycould be implemented fromMay 2013.Separately, Keppel Verolmesuccessfully conducted themaintenance and upgrading workson the heavy-lift vessel, MightyServant 1, for Dockwise. The vesselarrived at Keppel Verolme on4 April 2013 for the repositioningof existing buoyancy casingsand the installation of two newbuoyancy casings.The work was completed in just aweek, facilitated by the completionof prefabrication works on the twonew buoyancy casings before thevessel’s arrival at the yard.Following its redelivery toDockwise, the heavy-lift vessel wasused to transport Lucius project’struss spar from Finland to the Gulfof Mexico, with the truss sparfloated off the vessel upon itsarrival.The JUMP system was put underan extensive period of testingby Keppel Verolme beforebeing integrated into the yard’soperations.This innovative technology wasrecently applied to the yard’s workon Ezion Holding’s jackup rig,Prime Exerter. Due to a compressedKeppel Verolme utilised to good effect the JUMP system, a new technology jointly developedwith Austrian company Palfinger, to access and work on the rig legs of Ezion Holding’s jackupPrime ExerterOffshoreMarine March – April 20139