The system, developed on the back of Ampelmann’s high safety standards and years-long expertise in offshore access, will start its tour of duty in offshore wind, contributing to an increased operational efficiency in the industry.
“We are excited to see the positive results of our close collaboration with both Olympic and Ulstein,” says Boudewijn Visser, Ampelmann’s Director of Innovations. “We have delivered one of our latest gangway systems, now fully integrated into the Olympic Boreas vessel and ready to operate in the C/SOV market. We thank both parties for their support throughout this project and for their continuous trust in our products and services.”
A System, Built on Close Collaboration with Clients and the C/SOV Market
While the W-type is far from being the only tower gangway on the market, it was designed and developed as a result of the growing needs of clients to use trolleys in their operations—particularly for maintenance scopes—in offshore wind. Tailored to individual vessels, the system is electric, height-adjustable, and has a crane as well as a lift that can carry both personnel and cargo.
The cargo capabilities of the W-type, in particular, have been designed to meet rather specific client needs. Those include transferring equipment, such as pallets with tools and spare parts, to offshore wind structures. This led Ampelmann to design its system in a way that it can switch quickly between the three modes: cargo, trolleys and people transfer.
In line with industry demands to reduce carbon emissions offshore, the company designed the W-type as an electric system. Like the electric A-, L- and S-type systems, this one also consumes significantly less energy and has a low carbon footprint. Not only does the system require less power to operate, but it also means that it does not require a Hydraulic Power Unit (HPU). This results in vessels needing fewer engines, fewer generators, consuming less power and being ready for the future.
It’s All About the Service
As with every new system that is added to the fleet, this one, too, is a milestone for Ampelmann. Yet, there is more to the W-type than the gangway itself.
For years, the company has been known for its commitment to providing a full service to its clients. Surely, the safety of its offshore access solutions comes first. It is, however, closely followed by a number of other crucial ingredients that make the lives of its clients easier.
The W-type comes together with skilled, Ampelmann-trained operators, access to the operator training centre, 24/7 support through the company’s Operation Control Centre (OCC), as well as project preparation, Ampelmann Insights, a data platform that provides insights into the operational performance of projects, and after-sale support such as maintenance.
Over the course of this year, the company has already been training the first W-type client operators. Ampelmann’s client operator training program is part of its continued commitment to safety leadership in the offshore industry. The company trains all its own, as well as client operators according to the highest safety standards and prepares them to work in various conditions, making them ready to react to even the most challenging situations offshore.
Looking into the Future
With modularity at its core, the W-type is built on the company’s new electric platform, which has become the stepping stone to electrifying the rest of the Ampelmann fleet. The building blocks are, therefore, in place. From here on out, it is all about working closely together with relevant stakeholders in the wind industry and understanding where the next challenges lie.
With this system and the service package around it, the company is well positioned to address not only the current needs of the C/SOV market, but also any future ones. Ampelmann has scaled up production of new systems, aiming to deliver one new system per month, including its first 11 W-types.
