12 pontoon piles Wilhelmshaven

DATE: February 5, 2025

12 PONTOON PILES WILHELMSHAVEN

In June 2024, Ballast Nedam successfully installed 12 access pontoon piles at Wilhelmshaven in northern Germany using the CAPE VLT-160 and a S-150 impact hammer. The entire project was completed in less than two weeks.

At Wilhelmshaven pier, a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) is permanently moored. This unit receives liquefied natural gas (LNG) from tankers worldwide and converts it back into gas. To support this process, a floating jetty is currently under construction.

Ballast Nedam installed the 12 piles to guide the floating access platform, allowing it to adapt to tidal variations of approximately five meters.

Each pile, measuring 44 meters in length and weighing 80 tons, was transported by barge from Rotterdam to Wilhelmshaven. A gripper frame was used to position the pontoon piles at sea. The installation process involved pre-piling with the CAPE VLT-160, followed by final placement using the impact hammer.

Jan de Vries of Ballast Nedam highlighted the collaborative effort behind the project: “A job like this is always a team effort. While we engage external partners, success depends on seamless coordination. This project was a great example of that. We began mobilisation in mid-June, and just 10 days later, we delivered the project on schedule. Everything went exactly as planned.”

Find more project details below or contact Niels van den Heuvel for more information.


Application details

Application

FRSU pontoon

Pile type

Pontoon piles

PILE DETAILS

Pile type

Pontoon piles

Pile model

Standard

Pile length

44m

Pile weight

80t

Pile wall thickness

50mm

Pile diameter top

1.5m

No. of piles

12

PROJECT DETAILS

Period

Jun ’24

Sea

Waddenzee

Country

Germany

Location

Wilhelmshaven in northern Germany

Market

Oil and Gas

System/end usage

Floating access platform

Operator or end customer

FSRU Wilhelmshaven

Installation contractor

Ballast Nedam

Type of vessel

Jack-up barge

Name of vessel and owner

Buzzard, DEME Group

Main Reasons for solution choice

FAST PENETRATION

CONTROLLED INSTALLATION

EXTRACTION POSSIBLE

SELECTED EQUIPMENT

CAPE VLT-160

Equipment configuration

CAPE VLT-160

Eccentric moment

160kgm

Max. line pull

264t

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