September 14 - ALE has completed a jack-up and skidding operation for the Malikai project in Malaysia.
ALE was tasked with skidding the 13,800-tonne Malikai topside 85 m onto its Mega Jack system. The topside was then lifted to a height of 40 m. At height, the combination was skidded a distance of 90 m until the topside was in position above its hull, ready for mating and installation.
ALE was awarded this project by TMJV and it was carried out at the Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering (MMHE) West fabrication yard in Johor Darul Takzim.
The heavy lift specialist was also responsible for weighing and transporting four hull blocks, the living quarters, as well as and mega beams for the lifting operations.
ALE claims this project was the world's highest jack-up and skidding operation ever performed on this scale and ALE; the company's project manager Edwin Blösser commented: "With its capacity to easily lift the topside to the desired height, the Mega Jack enabled the client to work on both the topside and the hull on ground level, therefore optimising the logistics needed for such a build.
"As both the Mega Jack and skidding systems are operated remotely via a control room and are equipped with computerised controls, which have numerous safety systems implemented, these provided a safe way of working and protected both workers and the client's equipment being lifted."
