March 7 - Allseas Group's pipelay vessel Solitaire has arrived at the Port of Amsterdam, where it will undergo extensive adjustments and maintenance ready for use in the construction of oil and gas pipeline systems.
The 397 m long ship, which the port says was the largest to have navigated IJmuiden's sea lock, is currently moored at the Dutch Offshore Base - a joint venture between Ter Haak Group, Dutch Offshore Group and Rotterdam Offshore Group.
HLPFI reported in November 2015 that the Dutch Offshore Base had been created to provide services to the maritime and offshore industry, after Conquest Offshore decided to make the Port of Amsterdam the base for its 1,400-tonne capacity crane ship Conquest MB1.
"Given the presence of the crane ship the MB1 here in the port, it only made sense for us to offer Allseas to have the adjustments and construction carried out here as well," said Michiel Zwagerman, owner-director of Dutch Offshore Base.
Richard Ter Haak, ceo of the Ter Haak Group, added: "The arrival of the Solitaire is beneficial to the Port of Amsterdam and a milestone for Amsterdam's offshore operations. In taking on this challenge, we are demonstrating our capacity in this area both here in the Netherlands and internationally.
"We have really expanded our services with this project, and now other companies operating in the offshore industry will also start considering Port of Amsterdam as an option."
Allseas' Solitaire is scheduled to return to sea in the summer of 2016.
Watch a time-lapse video of the huge ship arriving at the Dutch port below:
