The ship-to-ship transfer of 53 riser pipes, weighing in at approximately 22 tons, some six miles off the Port of Walvis Bay was accomplished without incident at the weekend. UAL on Sunday undertook the operation which involved the movement of cargo from a drill ship, ENSCO DS-7, to the newly built UAL Houston. “The STS transfer was necessary due to the draught in the port being too shallow to accommodate the drill ship,” said Annalize Krause, shipping manager for UAL South Africa. And it was no easy feat, she added, demanding strict adherence to safety regulations. The riser pipes – which are 24 metres long and 1.3 meters wide and high - were transported to Lobito, Angola for refurbishment, following the transfer. CAPTION An aerial picture of two vessels during the ship-to-ship transfer.
