May 16 - ALE has completed the load out of the Malikai tension leg platform (TLP), which weighed 27,500 tonnes, at Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering in Johor Darul Takzim.
The project was awarded to ALE by TMJV. The UK headquartered heavy lift and rigging specialist skidded the platform 75 m onto Dockwise's White Marlin vessel using eight strand jacks.
Each strand jack had a 900-tonne capacity and was fitted with 39 strand wires, generating a pulling capacity of 5,928 tonnes.
ALE Offshore Services engineering manager Barney Mills, who coordinated the load out operation, commented: "This was a challenging operation as the load out was undertaken with the vessel in a side-on position.
"This meant that the control and monitoring of the vessel stability during the load transfer was crucial. Quay jacks were used to ensure the vessel heel remain positive by way of monitoring calculated load on the quay. We also utilised our barge level monitoring system to constantly monitor the vessel trim, heal and deck shape in real time throughout the load out."
White Marlin then transported the TLP to an area off the coast of Singapore, where the float-off operation was completed. The TLP was moored against a quay for final testing and commissioning. Once completed, it will be towed 100 km from Sabah, Malaysia, to begin operations.
