October 20 - ALE Heavylift Ib

The manoeuvres to widen the floating drydock consisted of a longitudinal cut and the moving of one half of the floating drydock by 4.5 m, increasing the width of the drydock from 30.8 m to 35.3 m. Each section weighed 1900 tonnes.

The operation was completed using the SS500 skid system in combination with the SS1500 skid system distributed over six skid lines. Two vertical jacks were incorporated on each skid shoe for the initial loading, subsequent jacking operations and for the control of the load during skidding movements.

ALE also used several mechanical supports during the course of the operation consisting of an initial vertical jacking device that elevated the floating drydock over its temporary support bed, tehn lateral skidding of some 4.5 m, and finally jacking down onto supports over the bed to allow for the necessary modifications to be made.

The lateral displacement of the barge sections was completed in a total of two hours and, despite limitations caused by local tides, the operation was completed in under four days.