The innovative walking jack-up platform WaveWalker 1 was presented with the Product and Equipment Innovation Award at the prestigious Ground Engineering (GE) Awards ceremony in London earlier this week (14th May.)
The GE Product and Equipment Innovation Award is for a product or item of equipment aimed at the ground engineering or geotechnical market which has delivered improved performance or made a technique or idea possible. The entries were required to provide evidence of how their product led to increased performance, durability, safety or productivity during a project or process. Research strategy that led to the development of the product and its sales success to date were also taken into account. Key criteria included: Innovative design, ability of product/equipment to fill a gap in the market; ability to deliver cost and performance benefits; and commercial potential for use on other projects/applications.
Together Fugro Seacore and Van Oord provided their design and engineering expertise to create the jack-up barge which is owned and operated by WaveWalker BV, a 50/50 joint venture between the two companies.
“We are delighted to have ticked all the boxes and to be presented with this prestigious award,” says Les Lugg, Joint Managing Director of WaveWalker BV.
This is the second award for the innovative walking jack-up barge; WaveWalker 1 was successful in November 2013 winning the British Engineering Excellence Award for Mechanical Product of the Year.
WaveWalker 1 is currently on location in the UK preparing for her next contract due to start in July 2014.