ALE and Ravestein Enter Heavylift Joint Venture

Staffordshire-headquartered heavy transportation and lifting contractor ALE and Dutch large steel constructions specialist Ravestein have announced a new joint venture to own and operate submersible jack-up docks, with the first one scheduled to be launched in the first quarter of 2016.

Through the new joint venture the companies will provide the full operational and logistics services, including marine engineering, project management, seafastening, as well as all aspects of marine operations.

ALE’s scope of work will include providing the project management, engineering and operational scope for all projects involving submersible jack-up docks, such as the Skylift 3000, which Ravestein have designed as a floating and towable pontoon with the ability to load-in and load-out in shallow water at high capacity.Michael Birch, ALE’s Executive Director – UK & Projects, said: “We are delighted to have joined forces with Ravestein, with the opportunity to work together on such an innovative and exciting piece of equipment that will achieve marine operations others simply cannot in the industry.”

The Skylift 3000 operates as a submersible ship lift that can load-in and load-out structures weighing up to 3,000 tonnes. It is suited to work globally across the civils, offshore, oil and gas, and renewables sectors.

Floating and towable platform gives this jack-up dock the ability to be used as a barge. It can also be used underneath an offshore platform as a way of lifting and lowering a platform for installation and decommissioning.

“The cooperation of ALE and Ravestein brings expertise together to ensure that this new development will be designed perfect into detail,” Cees Ravestein, director and owner of Ravestein, said.

The team is currently exhibiting this new solutions package at Europort, and the Skylift 3000 is expected to be available in the first quarter of 2016.