Taming the North Sea Pays Off

Q: What challenges is Ampelmann facing as it ventures into Mexico?

A: The most challenging aspect of bringing technology to Mexico is the lack of knowledge, not only of the product, but of its benefits. We are in the middle of a strong campaign to penetrate the market that includes explaining the benefits of our product, not only focused on crew transfer safety but also on efficiency and cost reductions. Ampelmann aspires to be the preferred offshore access method in Mexico for crew transfer due to our lower cost compared to helicopters and for walk-to-work solutions compared to expensive flotels.

Our strategy to enter the market is not to push the technology but to educate the local people so they understand that there is a need for the product by raising awareness and making operators aware of the advantages of a safer and faster offshore transfer operation that will help create demand for our technology.

Q: What added value does Ampelmann offer to the Mexican market? A: Ampelmann sets high standards for safety and costeffective solutions in the Mexican market. We support activities throughout the life cycle of a fixed or floating platform with our easy, comfortable and secure offshore access systems, even in adverse weather conditions, and we understand how to execute Walk to Work and Crew Transfer projects. One of Ampelmann’s great strengths is the quality of its people, which is remarkable according to our clients. We provide a full service to maximize our customers’ project performance. Ampelmann offers full engineering support. Before we start, we fully analyze the details of our customers’ requirements and project needs. Ampelmann’s team and operational support are specialized not only in our technology but also in customer satisfaction, which means they know how to ask for critical information in a way that makes technicians feel that the service Ampelmann offers is valuable for the project.

The concept of the Ampelmann system was conceived in Berlin at an offshore wind conference in 2002. With a flight simulator upside down, compensating all six degrees of freedom, the vessel’s movements are continually monitored and then compensated for using six hydraulic cylinders. The result is a platform that remains fully stable despite any movement. From this stable platform, staff can reach the offshore structure safely and efficiently via a telescopic footbridge.

Just a decade ago, transferring crew members onto offshore structures was a cumbersome and often hazardous operation, regardless of the method used. This problem was solved by Ampelmann by devising a motion compensation solution that enabled safe crew transfers from vessels. Ampelmann disrupted the offshore industry by making offshore transfers much safer. Ampelmann became the global industry leader and invented solutions that unburdened its customers in ways thought to be impossible before. Ampelmann maintains a fleet of 60 operational systems used for transferring crews and cargo to offshore structures. These solutions are tailored to the needs of different market segments, sea states, cargo and crew loads, and are used by the key players in the global industry.

Ampelmann systems are also monitored 24/7 by our Operations and Control Center (OCC) that connects directly with a dedicated team of project and service engineers in The Netherlands. That, together with a 99 percent-effective working time, full support and backup from a great supply chain give our clients the confidence that operations will take place safely and in the shortest possible time. Cuttingedge technology is also making it easier for us to enter the market because it allows the company to demonstrate 3D-rendered visualizations of how the technology looks with different vessels and how it would work under various weather conditions.