Holland Shipbuilding Association - Shipyard De Hoop lifts 500-ton SBBA onto the Smit Anambas

In the first half of 2011, Shipyard De Hoop was approached by Global Marine Systems (formerly known as Cable and Wireless). The company wanted to convert the Smit Anambas, a chartered semi-submersible offshore transport barge (115m x 31.6m), into a cable lay pontoon. For a cable lay operation in the North Sea, it needed to accommodate a crew of 60. However, the Smit Anambas did not have suitable accommodation for so many people. Shipyard De Hoop was therefore requested to design and build a fully self-supporting 4-level accommodation unit.

Single Block Barge Accommodation

The contract for a Single Block Barge Accommodation (SBBA), as companies call this type of large independent units, was signed at the beginning of July 2011 and was delivered on 13 January 2012 – a very short throughput time, as it also included the full engineering of the unit. The SBBA has its own generators for electric power, and its own water makers and sewage treatment units. Everything is designed in such a way that wherever the SBBA is situated, it can always be fully operational.

SBBA lifted onto Smit Anambas

The assembled SBBA was transported from De Hoop’s Lobith yard to their quay in Rotterdam. There, it was lifted onto the Smit Anambas in cooperation with the Dutch lifting company Mammoet, which needed to bring in two lifting vessels to be able to perform this huge lifting operation. De Hoop also did the hook-up and commissioning of the SBBA. This included the placement of various platforms and two rescue boats with davits. All equipment, including cranes, a large plough, swing arm, tensioner, and the 3000-ton cable carousel will be installed in the United Kingdom.

Global Marine Systems

Global Marine Systems has been in business for over 150 years and is the largest independent provider of submarine cable installation, maintenance and related engineering services worldwide. The majority of Global Marine Systems projects concern the development of wind farms around the UK. The company has their headquarters in Chelmsford (Essex), employs more than 150 people and owns a fleet of 11 vessels.

Lift SBBA