HPC POLAR CRANE DELIVERY

CO-ORDINATED TIER 1 LOGISTICS ENSURE SAFE DELIVERY OF POLAR CRANE AT HPC

We’re proud to be contributing to Britain’s energy security in our role as a Tier 1 contractor at Hinkley Point C (HPC). Osprey coordinates specialist logistics on site, including assets that arrive from overseas. Many milestones have been passed already – including the delivery of two Polar Crane Beams.

Manufacturers can’t send components this large overland, so we bring them in via our Shared Services operations. This way, we can co-ordinate suppliers and suggest the best possible options with a combination of vessels, barges, cranes, SPMTs.

RECOMMENDING THE RIGHT TRANSPORT OPTIONS

• The Polar Crane Main Beams were brought on site with input from key partners such as APCO, NATCO, and our own Heavy Lift teams here at Osprey. They measure up to 44.77 metres long, and the larger of the two weighs 138,000 kilos. They’re both pivotal to the function and safety of the reactor for its entire, 60-year operating life.
• During construction, the beams play a crucial role in installing the Reactor Pressure Vessel and other parts of the nuclear steam supply system. Every millimetre of each move needs careful planning, and is signed off by an entire team of engineers, transport, and safety specialists.
• The first beam came in to the HPC site via from Avonmouth. We factored in all kinds of environmental factors such as weather, tidal conditions in the Bristol Channel and conditions in the River Parrett. We also needed to bear in mind planning constraints for the barges, and to be mindful around local residents’ needs too.
• To move the Polar Crane Beam across the site, we loaded it onto a specialist, four-file 10-axle self-propelled modular transporter (SPMT). Progress at the right pace is critical to ensuring integrity and safety. This SPMT moved at less than 3 miles per hour during transit, and under fine control during final positioning for unload onto storage supports using the SPMT hydraulics at the construction platform.

COLLABORATION REDUCES RISKS AND COSTS

Universally, lifting is a high-risk activity, but our solution used a combination of transport options to mitigate some of that risk. The direct delivery by SPMT also meant there was at least one less critical lift to perform, which means we’re improving safety, the delivery programme, and overall costs.