GE Renewable Energy Grid Solutions (GE) is supplying the HVDC equipment. As SMOP’s engineering partner, Iv-Offshore & Energy is fully responsible for the platform engineering and system integration and is also supporting Sembcorp Marine on construction engineering queries. SMOP is currently constructing the platform on the Indonesian island of Batam, just off the coast of Singapore.
Given the important role of Iv-Offshore & Energy in this impressive offshore project, it comes as no surprise that following completion of the engineering works, Iv-Offshore & Energy will also support the construction to assist in answering any engineering questions from constructors and partners. In concrete terms, this means that from the new year, Iv employees will also be present on location at the SMOP site in Batam.
Restricted, but even more important
Project Manager Rogier Regenbogen is not yet looking back on one of the most exciting and challenging projects in the company’s history. “Our role is indeed not over yet. Actually, you could say that it’s just getting started. Our deliveries to the yard are almost complete, and since April 2022, Alex de Jong is our site representative in Batam. He will be positioned at the yard for two years on behalf of Iv-Offshore & Energy. He is our liaison between the client, construction team and other stakeholders on the SMOP yard and is also leading the Iv-Offshore & Energy site team. One of the activities of our site team is to monitor and support the yard to ensure that our delivered goods are preserved and handled properly.”
Iv-Offshore & Energy’s role, while somewhat decreased in terms of the amount of work, still remains important. After a successfully completed engineering phase, it is now crucial that all equipment and the platform are built and installed correctly and in accordance with our delivered design. Rogier Regenbogen: “That makes it a very nice and interesting project to execute. This is the first time we are working with SMOP, and the mutual expectations were not always aligned. Thus, another aspect that has to be managed.”
Qualitatively and quantitatively a lot
hat’s in store for Iv? In January 2023, additional engineers from Iv-Offshore & Energy will go to Indonesia. Then the installation work will commence and the last pieces of equipment, such as the pedestal crane and the last switchgear cabinets, will arrive at the SMOP yard. Iv-Offshore & Energy is responsible for transporting the goods to the yard in Batam. The transport from Europe to the Indonesian island takes around six weeks. “It was quite tense”, says Rogier, “to make sure all the paperwork was ready in time, the container ships booked, the containers stowed and above all: to ensure the goods arrive at the yard in the desired condition.”