Aegir Wields World’s Largest Hammers Offshore Taiwan

Heerema Marine Contractors has signed a contract with MENCK for the delivery of two of the world’s largest hammers to support their activities on offshore wind farms in Taiwan.

The contract includes the delivery and operation of the MENCK MHU 4400S hydraulic hammers and the newly developed MENCK underwater Noise Reduction Unit, MNRU, and a live penetration depths measurement system.

The essential hydraulic drive unit and the external shock absorber ring were manufactured and assembled at MENCK’s headquarters in Kaltenkirchen, Germany and mobilised to Rotterdam for integration with the hammer housings and the 220-ton ram weight assembly on the client’s premises.

The handover to the client took place in December and the equipment was mobilised for use offshore in January, MENCK said.

”This contract follows a recent sequence of successful projects in the renewables arena using the largest MENCK hammers,” said Fabian Hippe, Managing Director, MENCK GmbH.

”Besides the general success in renewables and the increase of our market share, it is another significant step forward in our partnership with Heerema.”

Heerema Marine Contractors is currently involved in the construction of Ørsted’s 900 MW Greater Changhua 1 and 2a offshore wind farm.

Heerema’s heavy lift vessel Aegir is in charge of transporting and installing the wind farm’s 111 wind turbine foundations as well as the installation of two offshore substations.

The work commenced earlier this year with the installation of pin piles.

Heerema is also in charge of the onshore marshaling services, as well as the seabed preparations and scour protection for this project.