Huisman Czech Republic is manufacturing and testing gangways for SMST, a company specializing in the design and production of equipment for the maritime industry. These gangways are equipped with cutting-edge technology to ensure safe and comfortable transfer of personnel and cargo between vessels and offshore platforms even under demanding conditions.
Huisman Czech Republic will deliver a total of nine gangways in two variants to the Dutch company SMST, one with a reach of 25 meters and a passageway width of 1.2 meters, and the other with a reach of 30 meters in the same width. Karel Pavlíček, Managing Director of Huisman Czech Republic, stated, "These are technologically advanced devices that meet the most demanding requirements of the maritime industry. We conduct testing of these devices together with SMST directly at our facility in Sviadnov."
After the completion of gangway assembly in the Sviadnov plant, all wiring and hydraulic installations will be thoroughly checked. Subsequently, the team at Huisman Czech Republic will gradually commission, operate, and test the functionality and limits of the equipment. Following successful operational testing, the final test with customer representatives will take place. "The gangways are equipped with a motion compensation system, which ensures safe passage even in the event of ship movement on waves. The telescopic part of the gangway will land on the platform, and the hydraulic system ensures continuous contact," explained Martin Vojtek, Assembly Manager at Huisman Czech Republic.
Production of the first four gangways at Huisman Czech Republic began in 2023, with completion and full testing scheduled for the first half of 2024. Simultaneously, welding has already started on additional, slightly larger units, which will be completed in early 2025. Upon completion, the order will be transported from Sviadnov to the port in the Netherlands, where the gangways will be installed directly onto the ship. "The production of this type of equipment for the maritime industry is a first for the Sviadnov plant. We highly value our collaboration with SMST and will strive to develop it further in the future," added Karel Pavlíček.
Gangways, also known as Telescopic Access Bridges (TABs), serve as a safe and easy connection between a vessel and an offshore platform. SMST offers a wide range of these gangways for efficient personnel or cargo transfer. "Our gangway designs are intelligent and lightweight with low energy consumption. Thanks to the modular construction of our systems, we can meet all project-specific requirements and operational conditions, ensuring operational flexibility worldwide," stated Ingmar Otter, Commercial Manager at SMST.
Based in Drachten, Netherlands, SMST is an internationally operating company that designs and manufactures equipment for the offshore industry. Its product range covers a wide spectrum for the global offshore industry supply chain, including lifting systems (including a range of cranes with active inclination or motion compensation), personnel and cargo transfer, drilling, pipeline laying, and special equipment.
