NorSea orders seven Kalmar reachstackers

The reachstackers will be used for handling gas pipeline sections for the Nord Stream Project that will supply Europe with additional gas from Russia via two parallel pipelines of 1,220km long. The order also includes a service agreement. The equipment will be delivered in January 2010.   

The approximately 120,000 pipe sections to be handled by NorSea have an average weight of around 25 tonnes each after concrete weight coating by EUPEC. NorSea Group has been subcontracted by EUPEC for transportation of the coated pipes from Mukran, Germany to Karlskrona & Slite (Gotland), Sweden and from Kotka, Finland to Hanko, Finland. NorSea has also been subcontracted for the loading, offloading, and interim storage of the pipe sections at these three temporary storage sites before they are shipped out by supply boat to the barge that lays the pipe sections on the Baltic Sea bed.

The reachstackers are equipped with a special attachment for handling pipes. Usually pipe handling solutions with reachstackers consist of a slave attachment connected to the spreader. Cargotec’s solution is a fully integrated attachment.