August 8 - Allseas' installation and decommissioning vessel Pioneering Spirit has departed Rotterdam and is on its way to the North Sea, where it will perform offshore trials.

The huge vessel has been moored in Rotterdam since January 2015 for the installation, commissioning and testing of its topsides lift system.

It will now take part in offshore trials, which will include a series of test platform topsides installation and removal exercises under varying weather conditions.

After the successful completion of offshore trials, Pioneering Spirit is expected to sail north to the Yme field, offshore Norway, and remove the 13,500-tonne Yme mobile offshore production unit for Repsol.

HLPFI reported on August 2 that the ship had Allseas had completed commissioning of the ship's topsides lift system.

www.allseas.com