February 1 - Combi Lift has commenced work on the West of Duddon Sands offshore wind farm project in the East Irish Sea, for client DONG Energy.

In 22 consecutive voyages, Combi Lift's heavy lift vessel Eit Palmina will transport 108 transition pieces each weighing 340 tonnes, and 108 monopiles weighing up to 520 tonnes each.

Combi Lift was awarded the project in August 2012 by DONG Energy, as it could guarantee the client delivery of the hip  within a narrow operating window.

The specialist shipping line says it has designed and manufactured a unique lashing and securing system specifically for this project. The system allows the vessel to sail in an unrestricted state from the Danish facility of steel structure manufacturer Bladt Industries, to Belfast without the use of any lashing wires.

Furthermore, to comply with lifting limitations, a tailormade lifting traverse was manufactured using a specifically designed hydraulic lifting device.

According to Dong Energy, the West of Duddon Sands offshore wind project will be fully operational by 2014 - 108 wind turbines with a total capacity of 389MW will provide renewable energy to more than 300,000 UK households.

www.dongenergy.co.uk

www.combi-lift.eu