SAIPEM 7000's transit in Dardanelles Strait temporarily halted traffic for safe passage, showcasing advanced maritime operations.
SPECIAL TRANSIT OPERATION FOR SAIPEM 7000 IN THE DARDANELLES STRAIT
The transit of the semi-submersible heavy lift and pipelay vessel SAIPEM 7000, which is 198 meters long, has temporarily suspended ship traffic in the Dardanelles Strait from 07:00. The platform was lowered from approximately 135 meters to about 57 meters in height by filling its ballast tanks and lowering the crane booms.
The Bahamian-flagged SAIPEM 7000 entered the Dardanelles Strait with a special towing and escort plan from the Sea of Marmara. Due to the operation coordinated by the General Directorate of Coastal Safety, northbound and southbound ship traffic in the Strait was temporarily suspended from 07:00.
To comply with the air gap under the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, the vessel took in seawater into its tanks to submerge further; the two main crane booms were also brought closer to a horizontal position. Thus, the total height, which is normally about 135 meters, was reduced to around 57 meters during the transit.
Two tugboats and five Coastal Safety units supported the operation. SAIPEM 7000 was towed by PACIFIC DISCOVERY and GH DISCOVERY. The operation was further supported by the tugs KURTARMA-1, KURTARMA-13, KURTARMA-20, and the rescue tug GEMİ KURTARAN, along with the fast rescue boat KIYEM-1 and pilot captains. It is planned for the Strait traffic to return to normal after the platform's exit is completed.
According to Saipem's technical data, the vessel can lift a total of up to 14,000 tons in tandem operation with its two main cranes and can lay pipes in waters deeper than 2,000 meters. The platform, which can accommodate up to 725 people, laid pipes at a depth of approximately 2,150 meters in the Black Sea during the Blue Stream Project.
Maritime impact: The transit represents a high-precision Strait operation where ballast calculation, vertical clearance, tug assistance, piloting, and mutual traffic interruption converge in a single plan. It serves as a strong operational example in terms of the multi-escort capability of the Coastal Safety fleet and traffic management for Turkey's large offshore units.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
