Port accessA special load consisting of chains manufactured by Vicinay Cadenas and of eight extra large-sized suction anchors manufactured by Navacel has been sent from the Port of Bilbao to an offshore gas platform being built in Israel. The dispatch was coordinated by shipping agent Servicios Logísticos Portuarios (SLP) who also consigned the barge where the pieces were loaded as well as the tug that will take it to Israel.
Given the complexity of moving such large pieces, the loading and later lashing operations needed weeks of work. The first part of the operations took place in the Vicinay and Navacel facilities and later in the Port of Bilbao Extension. The barge, which has no means of propulsion, will take 28 days to reach its destination.
Six of the suction anchors loaded are 9.5 metres in diameter and 20 metres long with the other two measuring 14 metres. These anchors are part of the gas-reception system in a regasification plant anchored some 10 kilometres from the coast of Israel which supplies gas to the Gas Hadera Terminal to the north of Tel Aviv. The gas is discharged in its liquefied
on their way to the outer port
state from conventional gas vessels to another vessel which has a regasifying station, and through the buoy it is connected to at the bottom of the vessel. A special buoy, which serves to anchor the regasifying vessel and to channel the gas, floats submerged at 20-30 metres while waiting for connection.
The buoy is held in position by the eight suction anchors and the eight 400-600 metre-long chain links manufactured by Vicinay Cadenas, together with another section of steel cable double that length.
