Port of Tyne demonstrates its offshore capability
Published: 30 November, 2018
BLIDAR a collaborative research initiative has utilised the Port of Tyne in the latest stage of its offshore wind project.
The port based in North East England was selected as a base to lift and immerse the 11 ton BLIDAR buoy due to its significant experience in handling complex mobilisations at its deep-water Riverside Quay.
The BLIDAR is a highly intelligent weather and oceanic data measurement buoy designed to measure offshore wind as accurately as possible in all weather conditions.
The Port of Tyne was employed to lift the oversized 13m long buoy using two of the Port’s mobile cranes to complete a tandem lift.
Nolan Gray, Port of Tyne Business Development Director, said: “Rotating the BLIDAR ninety degrees using two mobile cranes is a highly skilled operation that requires precise accuracy.
“Having completed similar technical projects to support the offshore sector the Port of Tyne has built a solid reputation demonstrating our ability to handle difficult project cargo.”
The BLIDAR will spend around two weeks at the Port of Tyne’s Riverside Quay where scientific research equipment will be installed on-board.
Once complete the BLIDAR will be towed to the Blyth Offshore Wind Demonstrator Farm – where it will collect vital oceanographic data for six months before returning to the Port of Tyne to be lifted out again.
With easy access to the North Sea the Port of Tyne – supported by an established and growing offshore cluster based on the River Tyne - is perfectly placed to support a wide range of offshore project requirements.
The BLIDAR project is the latest in a series of complex offshore projects that the Port of Tyne has been able to support. Most recently the Port of Tyne has worked with Smulders Projects UK loading out their wind turbine jackets and with BAM on developing a pioneering solution to their Gravity Base Foundations.
