Caribbean shipyard upgrade

During 2006, the St. Maarten Shipyard in the Caribbean, will complete a modernisation programme, which will expand the facilities into a top class mega yacht repair yard. The new facilities will comprise a Syncrolift and a new ship transfer system from Norwegian-based TTS Handling Systems.

This new TTS transfer system, PWT (Powered Wheel Transporter), is a development from TTS, based on the DWB (Dual Walking Beam) transfer system, which has been used in shipyards throughout the world since 1980. The DWB system is a non-wheel transfer system that can move heavy loads around the yard, without the need of rails or roads, and position ship sections within millimetre accuracy. The development of the PWT90 transfer system has been sponsored by Innovation Norway and developed by TTS Handling Systems. The PWT system runs on rubber wheels and will therefore have a higher transport speed.

St. Maarten Shipyard has purchased 10 units of the PWT90 system, with an option of four more. Each PWT90 unit lifts and moves 90 tons on six axels, and is fitted with its own hydraulic power pack and programmable logic controller. One operator co-ordinates the system from a central control unit on a diesel electric generator following the system. This will enable St. Maarten Shipyard to dock and repair mega yachts of approximately 60-70m in length and 850 dwt.