Allseas waves goodbye to shallow-water pipelay barge after 27 years

Dutch offshore contractor Allseas is bidding farewell to a shallow-water pipelay barge it purchased in 1997, after having installed over 400 kilometers of nearshore pipeline across the world.

Allseas has sold its 154-meter-long Tog Mor barge for repurpose after it ran aground in Mexico in September while seeking shelter.

Built in 1975 as a heavy-duty floating derrick, Tog Mor, meaning “big lift” in Gaelic, was designed with Stülcken masts for the assembly of large sections and modules for offshore production platforms. Its legacy began with the construction of the North Sea’s Maureen platform.

Allseas purchased the barge in 1997, which was then converted for pipelay and construction activities between 2001 and 2002. The barge debuted for Allseas on the Interconnector Scotland-Ireland pipeline, after which it installed more than 400 kilometers of nearshore pipeline worldwide.

The flat-bottom, anchored barge for shallow water offshore construction activities is equipped with a 10-point mooring system, pipelay equipment suitable for laying pipe up to 60 inches in diameter, and a piggyback firing line for a 6.50-inch diameter pipe. It is also fitted with a davit system that enables the performance of midpoint tie-ins and a 300-ton crane for construction work.

According to the company, Tog Mor can lay pipes up to a water depth of 150 meters without modification, while deeper water projects are possible with modification to the winches and stinger. The barge can accommodate 144 persons.