Gibralter's Gibdock shipyard has officially opened its new Pad 1, a specialized area for land-based fabrication projects, including pre-fabrication prior to vessel arrival.
The 2940sq m purpose-built pad supported 12-tonne/sq m load-bearing workspace to support the firm's project scopes.
“Pad 1 is a versatile facility with many applications,” says Gibdock Managing Director, Richard Beards. “Gibdock has invested in its development in order to complement and expand the yard’s existing services.”
Pad 1 adjoins the 435m-long south mole waterfront, which has an 11m draft, and includes a load-out quay that draws on service craneage.
“Pad 1’s convenient location, alongside Gibdock’s Panamax dock, provides the ability to pre-fabricate substantial sections of a project and assemble specialist equipment prior to a vessel’s arrival,” says Beards. “By optimizing the ‘downtime’ of a vessel throughout the project installation we are able to maximize efficiency and deliver this benefit on to our customers.”
Projects expected to benefit include retrofit work including exhaust gas cleaning ‘scrubber’ and ballast water system installation. Pad 1 also offers the opportunity to accommodate conversion projects where smaller fabrication is required at the yard. Smaller sections can be developed in Gibdock’s onsite 8000sq m workshop and assembled on Pad 1, so that sections can be transferred into position in a single lift.
“The oil and gas/offshore business is another important sector for Gibdock,” states Beards. “Gibdock has grown its business dramatically in this sector by undertaking several dry dockings and conversions for dice support vessel, platform supply vessel, seismic, cable and pipe laying vessels. Launching Pad 1 enhances our capabilities to accept larger projects with increased requirements for fabrication works.”
Pad 1 also supports straight fabrication works for the oil and gas industry and associated non-floating structures. Its high load-bearing capability of Pad 1 enables works on very heavy projects.
“This is a natural progression for Gibdock, in support of seismic conversion works for spooling of streamers as well as other general seismic projects,” says Beards.
He adds: “Gibdock is excited to launch the new raft of services enabled by Pad 1. We have already seen downtime of vessels significantly reduced with the enhanced capacity for pre-fabrication and plant assembly that Pad 1 offers and anticipate further benefits to our customers as we look to grow our OEM offering at the Pad 1 facility.”