For the EQ-Piling Pilot, we secured a full-scale monopile foundation for installation at a water depth of 40 meters.
With fabrication capacity across the market fully booked, sourcing a single monopile on short notice isn’t straightforward. Manufacturers are geared towards serial production, where capacity is quickly committed. Instead, we secured two full-scale pile sections, and took on the responsibility to turn them into one.
Delivered by inland barges, the sections were lifted onto a working barge using two floating sheerlegs. Mounted on welding rotators on skidding frames, the sections were carefully positioned, aligned, and prepared for joining. This setup enabled controlled skidding and rotation, ensuring exact fit-up before welding began.
Because that’s where expertise matters, the project team handled the full welding scope:
- Weld seam fit-up and alignment
- Preheating to meet stringent welding requirements
- Execution of the weld, ensuring structural integrity
At the same time, we installed gutters for sensor integration, preparing the monopile for data acquisition during the Pilot.
This phase wasn’t just assembly — it was a clear demonstration of the breadth of IQIP’s capabilities, combining heavy lifting, precision engineering, and advanced welding expertise.
As one of the earliest large-scale, visible milestones, this operation set the tone for what was to come. Once completed, the monopile became one of the final pieces loaded onto Orion — ready for transport to the Dreekant site.
From first lift to final weld, everything about this monopile reflects one thing:
Real conditions. Real scale. Real execution.
