Original news was published on 06 November, 2015

Staffordshire-based heavy transportation and lifting contractor ALE and Dutch large steel construction specialist Ravestein have announced a new joint venture to own and operate submersible jack-up docks.

The first jack-up dock is scheduled to be launched in the first quarter of 2016.

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

Commenting on the partnership Michael Birch, ALE’s executive director – UK and 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.”

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 Skyjack 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.

The Skyjack 3000 operates as a submersible ship lift that can load-in and load-out structures weighing up to 3,000 ton.

It is suited to work globally across the civil, offshore, oil and gas, and renewables sectors.

A floating and towable platform gives the 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.

*NEWS SOURCE