October 29 - Wilhelmsen Ships Service's project logistics team has assisted in the loading of the Oslo-Nesodden ferry, the Prinsen, onto the Beluga Foundation for transport to its new home in Abu Dhabi.
Wilhelmsen worked with Beluga's cargo superintendent in planning the operations before the ferry could be moved contracting carpenters, welders, stevedores and divers to prepare the ground for the actual loading.
After checking the original drawings from the builders, Fjellstrand AS, the best positions for locating the slings under the boat were chosen. The divers examined the underneath of the ferry on the day before the lift to ensure that all corresponded to the drawings.
"On the day, everything went very well," said Leif T. Kongshaug, the Wilhelmsen Ships Service project manager responsible for liaising with the Beluga cargo officer. "The divers were able to place the slings at the strongest points, and the ship used its own cranes to position the ferry on board. The boat fitted perfectly onto the wooden cradle on the deck, a credit to the skills of the team of specialist carpenters who constructed it. We were pleased to find that there were strong lashing points along the gunwale, although these did not appear on the Prinsen's original plans."
The Prinsen ferry was formerly operated by the Nesodden-Bundefjord Dampskipsselskap AS, running between Nesodden and central Oslo for the last 14 years. It will be used in Abu Dhabi as a personnel supply vessel operating between oil rigs in the Arabian Gulf.
