WORKING AT HEIGHTS - Wind Energy Network

SPONSORS OF TYNE & TEES FEATUREIncrease invessels justifiesnew deepwaterquay on the TeesSpecialist logistics firm AV Dawson iscontinuing to see major growth in themarine and offshore sectors with a surgein the number of vessels it handles.who have established their marine baseswith AV Dawson include subsea energycompanies, Modus Seabed Intervention,Reef Subsea and energy cable layingcompany, and most recently PrysmianPowerLink Services.In the UK Prysmian manufactures energycables for low voltage to extremely highvoltage applications, and with the recentacquisition of Global Marine SystemsEnergy now rebranded as PrysmianPowerLink Services – it offers the completecable installation and protection solution.North Sea Supply Base benefitsJustin Hewlett, Prysmian’s Asset andSurvey Systems Manager, added; “TheNorth Sea Supply Base is an ideal choiceThe family-run firm, which celebratesits 75th anniversary this year, saw itsvessel numbers almost double to 150last year and is on course to smashthat figure with 53 ships recorded inthe first quarter of this year.£10m expansion programmeIt comes as the offshore support specialistis undergoing a £10m expansionprogramme which includes the creationof a new deepwater quay at its NorthSea Supply Base terminal and theopening of its intermodal rail terminal theTees Riverside Intermodal Park (TRIP)at its 100-acre site at Middlesbrough’sRiverside Park, in Teesside.Facility specificationsThe new £3.2m quay is due to becompleted this summer and will boastwater depths of up to 8.5m and will be150m long, allowing larger vessels to takeadvantage of Dawson’s one-stop-shopservices and taking the overall quay lengthat AV Dawson’s riverside terminals to750m.Perfect timingGary Dawson, managing director ofthe company said; “The timing of thenew deepwater quay is perfect to takeadvantage of the opportunities we’reseeing in energy markets, both offshoreoil and gas and renewables. We will beable to accommodate conventional shipsin the 12,000 tonne bracket and the largeroffshore support and specialist projectvessels all of which require 8m plus ofwater and are up to 25m wide. We arealso receiving an unprecedented level ofenquiries for quayside and associatedwarehousing and open storage.Gary Dawson andNew Quay Piling Works“Running parallel with the quaydevelopment is a major rebuild of ourheavy lift crane. The Rosenkranz cranewill lift 215 tonnes at 18m radius, enablingthe lifting of A-Frames and DeploymentTowers to supply vessels without theneed for expensive hire cranes.”Established clientsThe investment is perfectly timed forcompanies wanting to bring in projectvessels for mob- and de-mob. Clientsfor our marine operations allowing usto benefit from the excellent on-sitefacilities for asset and cable storage,equipment maintenance, transportationand the extensive deep-water quayside.”The new quay will also be attractive toDawson’s conventional markets in drybulk aggregates, fertilisers, and steelgoods with companies benefitting fromcheaper sea freight by charting largervessels into the supply base. It will also58www.windenergynetwork.co.uk