A Transocean semi-submersible drilling rig that had run aground on a beach in Scotland recently, might soon leave the UK.
Namely, the semi-submersible heavy lift vessel Hawk, set to lift the rig and take it away, has reached the Scottish waters and is on its way to transport the now-anchored Transocean Winner drilling rig from the Isle of Lewis to Turkey.
To remind, the Transocean Winner rig ran aground on a beach in Dalmore Bay back in August after severe storms had forced a tow line between the rig and a tug towing it to snap.
After two weeks of being grounded in Dalmore Bay, the rig was then moved to Broad Bay, where it is currently located waiting to be moved away as a ‘dry cargo.’
UK’s Marine Coastguard Agency said on September 6 that a contract had been signed with Offshore Heavy Transport (OHT), the owner of the Hawk, for the transport of the stranded rig from the UK to Turkey.
According to AIS data, the vessel left the Port of Nigg on Sunday, September 18, and will reach Stornoway on Monday afternoon.
BBC suggests that it will take several days of reasonably good weather to ballast down the Hawk, float the Transocean Winner onto the semi-sub ship, and ballast the Hawk back up.
The Hawk is a semi-submersible vessel designed for the transport of offshore and onshore facilities. It has a deck length of 157 meters and 55 meters breadth.
Offshore Energy Today Staff