CAPE Holland has announced it has been awarded for a purchase contract for an APE Model 600 Tandem vibratory hammer set (Tandem Super Kong). For the installation of the Helwin 1 and BorWin 2 base frames, Seaway Heavy Lifting (SHL) will use the Tandem Super Kong to install a total of 16 piles with diameters varying between 2 meters and 3,2 meters with weights up to 300 tons.
The contract has been signed on the 5th of April by Mr. Jan Willem van der Graaf, Chief Executive Officer of Seaway Heavy Lifting, and Mr. Aat de Neef, Managing Director of CAPE Holland Group. In the presence of Mr. Wim van der Velde Chief Technology Officer of Seaway Heavy Lifting and mr. Laurens de Neef, Technical Director of CAPE Holland Group.
The Tandem Super Kong exists of two APE 600 vibratory hammers, providing a total centrifugal force of 9.895 kN. The set is powered by two 1180VH power packs, providing a total maximum hydraulic flow of 3.000 l/min. The unique multifunctional power packs will be able to drive a variety of equipment on board. Vibratory pile driving makes pile installation quieter, faster and easier to control so a more efficient installation method.
The cooperation between CAPE Holland and Seaway Heavy Lifting started by installing jacket piles in Egypt with a single APE 600, 60 meters under water, but got a boost after the successful installation of 30 mono piles on the German North Sea for the Riffgat Wind Farm.
An APE Super Quad Kong, consisting of four APE 600 vibratory hammers, was used to install the heaviest 30 piles ever driven with a vibratory hammer. This environmentally friendly way of driving mono piles is fast and quiet installation method, which proved its potential on future offshore projects. With several new projects for offshore installation of large diameter piles, the purchase of the Tandem Super Kong is taking the cooperation between Seaway Heavy Lifting and CAPE Holland Group to a next level of developing faster and more quiet solutions for installation of large diameter piles offshore.
The Tandem Super Kong can work as two independent vibratory hammers, but it can easily get connected to two more vibratory to act as a Super Quad Kong. Further development of the system would enable an even faster and more efficient installation of piles.
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Press release, April 25, 2013; Image: CAPE Holland