WaveWalker wins Ground Engineering innovation award

The innovative walking jack-up platform WaveWalker 1 was presented with the Product and Equipment Innovation Award at the Ground Engineering (GE) Awards ceremony in London, on 14 May.

Marine operations

WaveWalker 1, developed by Fugro and Van Oord, is an innovative, eight-legged 'walking' jack-up barge (self-elevating work platform - SEWP) designed especially for marine operations in rough seas, surf zones, beaches and other intertidal locations where operation of traditional SEWPs is uneconomic.

As well as operating safely whilst elevated, its bi-directional movement allows it to move and relocate without floating. WaveWalker 1 can considerably boost productivity in tasks such as geotechnical site investigations, drilling, trenching, pipeline and cable-laying, blasting and other marine and underwater work. In January 2013, WaveWalker 1 began its first project, where it undertook drilling and rock blasting works in the outer channel to the port of Suape in Brazil.

Comments

Fugro Seacore Commercial Director, Les Lugg, commented: “We are delighted to have ticked all the boxes and to be presented with this prestigious award. We provided design and engineering expertise to create the jack-up barge which is owned and operated by WaveWalker BV, a joint venture between Fugro Seacore and Van Oord.”

This is the second award for the innovative walking jack-up barge. WaveWalker 1 was successful in November 2013 winning the British Engineering Excellence Award for Mechanical Product of the Year.

WaveWalker 1 is currently on location in the UK preparing for its next contract, which is due to start in July 2014.

GE awards

The GE Product and Equipment Innovation Award is for a product or item of equipment aimed at the ground engineering or geotechnical market which has delivered improved performance or made a technique or idea possible.

Adapted from press release by Katie Woodward

Read the article online at: https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/exploration/22052014/jack_up_platform_wins_innovation_award_758/