Mammoet completed critical heavy lifting, transport, and load-out operations for the Munin topside, built for Aker BP’s Yggdrasil project in the North Sea. The work concluded in Haugesund, Norway, where the structure was prepared for maritime transfer to the offshore area.
Aibel is responsible for the engineering, procurement, and construction of the Munin topside. The topside was assembled primarily at the company’s facilities in Haugesund while different modules and sections were supplied from its yard in Thailand.
For its part, Mammoet has participated in the project since late 2023, when it was contracted by Aibel to execute critical heavy transport, lifting, and marine operations in both countries.
The Utility Module Traveled from Thailand
Initially, one of the main operations consisted of moving the Utility Module from Aibel’s fabrication area in Thailand to a nearby quay.
Subsequently, Mammoet coordinated its loading onto a maritime transport vessel to begin the voyage to Haugesund. This stage created a logistics chain between Aibel’s Asian facilities and the Munin topside assembly center in Norway.
Upon the module’s arrival, Mammoet handled its unloading along with other sections destined for the topside.
However, shallow-water conditions at the Haugesund quay prevented direct discharge from the vessel used for international transport.
Therefore, a transshipment operation was necessary. The cargo first transferred to a smaller barge capable of operating with the available draft. Afterward, the components were unloaded and moved to Aibel’s assembly hall.
Mammoet Faced Demanding Conditions During Assembly
In addition to maritime restrictions, the campaign had to adapt to Norwegian winter weather conditions and the tight tolerances required during assembly.
Within Aibel’s facilities, the Utility Module had to be positioned and mated with the Munin process module. The maneuver required precise control of large offshore component movement before completing their integration.
Likewise, Mammoet mobilized specialized equipment and experienced personnel in both Thailand and Norway. Coordination between the two locations enabled linking the fabrication, maritime transport, and topside assembly operations.
The company’s expertise is concentrated precisely in this type of work. Mammoet is a Dutch multinational specialized in heavy lifting engineering and oversized cargo transport for energy, petrochemical, and infrastructure projects.
The Munin Topside Was Prepared for Load-Out
In July, once assembly was complete, the Munin topside underwent a weighing process to determine its final weight and confirm the location of its center of gravity.
These data were essential to validate the load-out engineering and barge configuration before beginning the transfer.
With parameters confirmed, Mammoet moved the topside from the Haugesund quay and executed its loading onto the barge designated for offshore transport.
The maneuver was classified as a Class 1 operation and had to be executed within a very limited tidal window. Water level variations could modify the barge’s relative position during transfer, making timing and maritime conditions control critical.
Finally, the transfer completed one of the main stages assigned to Mammoet within the Munin construction program.
The Munin Topside Is Ready for Yggdrasil
With load-out complete, the Munin topside was positioned on its transport barge and prepared to continue its transfer from Haugesund to the Yggdrasil project in the North Sea.
The operation closes a logistics chain that began in Thailand and included specialized land transport, marine loading, vessel-to-vessel transshipment, movement within Aibel’s facilities, module mating, and final transfer of the assembled structure.
In this way, the collaboration between Aibel and Mammoet enabled completion of the maneuvers necessary to leave the topside prepared for the next phase of its journey to Aker BP’s offshore development.
Source: World Oil
Photo: Mammoet