Specialist heavy lift alliance supports construction of a new liquid cargo terminal for Gujarat Chemical Port in India.
The JSI Alliance, comprising Jumbo Maritime, SAL and SAL Intermarine, has successfully completed a major heavy lift project in India for Afcons Infrastructure, supporting the construction of a new liquid cargo berth for Gujarat Chemical Port on the west coast of India.
Afcons Infrastructure was awarded the engineering, procurement and construction contract for the new berth, with the JSI Alliance selected to execute the critical heavy lifting operations required during the project’s construction phase.
The project scope was complex, requiring extensive heavy-lift capabilities for the installation of eight jackets and fifteen berthing dolphins weighing between 500 and 600 tonnes, at an outreach of 10 m.
Work took place in an extremely challenging environment. Gujarat Chemical Port’s location is subject to a 10 m tidal rise, resulting in currents of up to 5 kn. To compound matters, the seabed is comprised of sand, rendering many conventional mooring solutions unsuitable. A further factor was that the location was operational at the time of installation – all activities had to be undertaken without interrupting two live, frequently used berths. This resulted in severe space restrictions, leading to further mooring complexities.
Calling upon the expertise of a wide range of internal disciplines, the JSI Alliance developed a solution fully aligned with the requirements of the project. The Alliance mobilised the heavy-lift vessel Jumbo Javelin.
The heavy-lift vessel enabled safe and efficient execution by providing a single platform for the transport and installation of prefabricated structures. Mobilisation commenced on 3 November and took place over a period of fifteen days. During this time, the JSI Alliance equipped the Jumbo Javelin with a flyjib that enabled her to perform the necessary lifting scope.
The vessel was also outfitted with an eight-point mooring spread tailored to the seabed and tidal conditions of the project location. Creating sufficient holding force in such a restricted area required utilisation of 17 tonne anchors and 64 and 52 mm mooring lines with a Minimum Breaking Load of approximately 300 tonne per line.
The Jumbo Javelin was equipped with custom-made 250 tonne winches. It was determined that eight, in place of four, winches should be installed to provide a back-up wire, ensuring safety and redundancy.
To absorb the significant forces involved, it was necessary to strengthen the vessel with additional steel. Installation of the spread called upon anchor handling support vessels with sufficient capacity for the heavy-duty components employed. The vessels were required to perform the mooring installation during a four-hour tidal window, when the current was at its lowest speed.
Once connected to the mooring spread, the Jumbo Javelin remained in position for several days at a time, thereby avoiding interruption to berthing operations.
The first loadout commenced on 3 December at Dighi Port. In total, the Jumbo Javelin made six voyages. The last item was installed on 14 March, before the vessel departed for Dighi Port for demobilisation, which took place over just seven and a half days. Following this, the Jumbo Javelin sailed on to Singapore to return equipment to suppliers. Discharge was completed in two days and, on 6 April, the project was fully completed.
Robert de Waard, Project Manager at the JSI Alliance, said, “The successful completion of this project is a testament to the teamwork, expertise and commitment of everyone involved. By drawing on the shared resources and capabilities of the JSI Alliance, we were able to develop a solution tailored to the complex site conditions and deliver the project safely and efficiently.
“I would like to thank all those involved for their efforts, including my colleagues from all departments, as well as our suppliers, including Franklin Offshore International and Mooreast Asia, for their support with the anchor handling equipment. I would also like to extend my appreciation to Seacontractors, who supported Afcons with the provision of two vessels for anchor handling and contributed to the successful execution of the project.
“Of course, we are also extremely grateful to Afcons for placing its trust in the JSI Alliance. Our two teams have worked together closely throughout the project, with Afcons being involved, and providing expert guidance, in all aspects. We have enjoyed the collaboration and look forward to working together again in the future.”
