Ampelmann gangway for Arkona offshore windfarm

The Walk to Work system will be used to transfer personnel and essential cargo during commissioning work over the next eight months.

“This innovative gangway system enables personnel to have a safe commute from the vessel to the workplace and cargo can be transferred with ease and efficiency,” said Claudia Beumer, business development manager offshore wind, Ampelmann.

Equipment transfer

Ms Beumer explained that the A400 has been developed in conjunction with leading operators to include greater capacity for equipment transportation between vessels and wind turbines.

“Providing a full system that includes a gangway capable of transporting a pallet, a trolley and elevator is something we believe will be of great benefit to the offshore wind sector,” she added.

The A400 is the latest addition to Ampelmann’s growing portfolio of innovative gangway systems and was designed and manufactured specifically for the offshore wind market.

The ‘plug and play’ system combines the established motion compensation technology of Ampelmann’s A-type system with a 1.2 metre gangway to support the use of generic cargo trolleys and euro sized pallet trolleys.

This also ensures space for people to pass the trolley in case of emergencies. The system, which is controlled by a single operator, can transfer multiple personnel at a time in sea states up to three metres and features an elevator to support ‘stepless’ policies and increase efficiency.

By Anne-Marie Causer