Barges used in empoldering land reclamation work, ranging in weight from 680 to 990 tonnes, had to be moved from a stormwater collection pond, across a newly built haul road to a dike, and launched back into the sea on an offshore island in Singapore.
Netherlands-headquartered heavy lift and transport company Mammoet was commissioned to do the work. Mammoet says it was chosen due to its experience and successful track record on similar projects worldwide, particularly in using airbags and winches for vessel launching. A team of local and international experts was assembled, bringing a wealth of knowledge to the site.
The project advanced in planned phases. Mammoet used 68 airbags and four winches, with capacities ranging from 60t to 85t, to retrieve and launch each barge from the designated pond.
Airbags were placed under the bow of each barge and, once all cables were connected, two winches pulled the barge out of the water to a point where 18 climbing jacks were positioned. Once the barge was retrieved, it was jacked up to allow the airbags to be removed and SPMTs (Self-Propelled Modular Transporters) were inserted underneath.
The SPMTs then transported each barge to the launch area, to be set afloat. The launch process mirrored the retrieval operation, and this was repeated for all 12 barges.
Despite unforeseen weather conditions Mammoet says it adhered to a strict schedule.
“We take immense pride in our role within the Tekong Polder project,” says Anandan Lokantham, sales manager, Mammoet Projects AMEA. “By leveraging our global expertise, we helped enhance Singapore’s geographical footprint.”
