A&P Tyne Completes Multi-Million Prysmian Conversion

A&P Tyne has completed its largest conversion project in recent years with a multi-million-pound contract with Prysmian on the cable laying vessel the Ulisse. 

Prysmian is a long-standing customer of A&P North East’s Tyne facility, and the Ulisse a frequent visitor to the facility. The conversion project encompassed extensive fabrication works, including the fitting of two azimuth thrusters providing a self-manoeuvring system and extension of the vessel’s lifeboat facilities.   

Significant mobilisation works were also carried out on the vessel in preparation of its next cable laying project in Germany. 

Fabrication works commenced in January ahead of the vessel’s dry-docking in February.  A&P North East’s Tyne facility,  fabricated two thruster compartments, a mezzanine deck, three skegs and two electrical control rooms.  The thruster compartments were integrated in two of the vessel’s existing water ballast tanks. The thruster compartments were fully outfitted with all associated thruster equipment including coolers, heaters electrical panels, hydraulics, insulation, and painting.  

The mezzanine deck was installed at the midship on the main deck to provide real estate for two new generators that will provide the power for the forward thruster.  The existing aft end mezzanine deck was amended for two generators to power the aft thruster. 

The original skegs were removed and the new ones installed to accommodate the aft thruster. 

A&P removed the two existing spud legs, extended them to 30m, before refitting them to the vessel.  A new midship spud leg was installed on the port side of the vessel, with the upper and lower supports being fabricated and installed with very tight tolerances. 

A&P fabricated new lifeboat platforms to support a planned increase in persons on board (POB) to 68, including new lifeboat davits, new lifeboats and associated equipment. 

In order to mobilise the Ulisse for its cable laying project in Germany, A&P installed a wide range of equipment including:  

• a cable spread; 
• an 80 tonne pull ahead winch and hydraulic power unit (HPU); 
• Water pumps and associated pipework for providing jetting water to the cable laying tool  
• a  crawler crane and associated ballast; a new static tank to increase cable capacity as well as the installation of a new distributor arms and cable loading arms; 
• Various cable engines were installed with associated hydraulic packs, two cranes. 

Peter Watson, Installation Manager at Prysmian Group said:  

“The A&P project team completed the programme of works to the highest standards and the Ulisse has now been deployed to her next project in Germany.” 

Mike Wappett, Marine Director, said:

“A&P Group is exceptionally proud of its long-standing relationship with the Prysmian Group, which has resulted in the A&P project team developing a thorough understanding of the Prysmian fleet.  

“The recent conversion of the Ulisse drew upon A&P’s fabrication and ship repair capabilities and facilities, and enabled A&P to showcase its life extension expertise. 

“A&P operates the largest dry-dock on the North East coast and also boasts one of the largest fabrication and construction faculties in the region.  Our ambition is to make A&P Tyne a centre of excellence for conversion work and we look forward to working with ship owners and OEMs to fulfil this goal.” 

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