5,461 Tonne BorWin6 Jacket Loadout Signals Heavy Lift Turning Point as Mammoet Prepares for 17,000 Tonne Topside Challenge

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Progress on the BorWin6 offshore grid connection has reached a decisive fabrication stage following the successful loadout of the converter platform jacket in Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates. The operation saw Mammoet complete the transport, loadout, and mooring of the 5,461 tonne offshore foundation structure, a central component destined for the BorWin kappa platform in the German North Sea.

The jacket will ultimately support the BorWin6 high voltage direct current converter station, part of Germany’s expanding offshore wind transmission network. Developed by TenneT and being delivered under EPCI scope by McDermott International, the 980 megawatt connection is designed to transmit renewable energy generated offshore directly to the mainland grid.

For logistics professionals watching global fabrication flows, the move underscores how Middle East yards continue to anchor complex offshore manufacturing scopes tied to European energy infrastructure.

To execute the loadout, Mammoet deployed 216 axle lines of self propelled modular transporters supported by four power pack units. The configuration provided both traction and steering precision required to move the fully assembled jacket from its fabrication position to the quayside.

In practical terms, the scale of the move meant every meter required synchronized hydraulic control. One misalignment across the axle grid could translate into structural stress or quay interface risk. The transporter setup allowed the team to maintain balance while navigating yard constraints and quay tolerances.

Once positioned, mooring operations became the next critical control point. Mammoet winches were used to manage vessel interface and secure the structure for seafastening, ensuring stability ahead of sailaway to Europe.

The jacket foundation piles were also secured as part of the shipment scope, streamlining offshore installation sequencing once the cargo reaches the German North Sea project site.

The jacket loadout reflects more than a single shipment milestone. It highlights the increasing reliance on parallel construction strategies in offshore energy projects.

While the foundation departs the yard, fabrication and assembly work continues on the topside module. This overlap compresses overall project schedules but introduces complex logistics choreography across lifting, staging, and transport scopes.

Mammoet’s earlier movement of the topside from its construction position to an interim staging area laid the groundwork for the next heavy lift phase. That preparatory move ensured sufficient clearance and structural readiness for the upcoming jacking operation.

Attention at the yard is now shifting toward one of the project’s most technically demanding stages. Later in 2026, Mammoet will execute the jack up and weighing of the BorWin6 topside, which is expected to weigh approximately 17,000 tonnes.

For this scope, the company will deploy its Mega Jack 5200 system. The jacking solution is engineered to lift large integrated modules in a single piece, allowing construction to occur at ground level before elevation to transport height.

The system has previously handled lifts exceeding 40,000 tonnes, positioning it among the highest capacity modular jacking solutions in the heavy lift sector. Once elevated and weighed, the topside will be prepared for skidded loadout and subsequent sailaway.

Tom Brazier, Project Manager at Mammoet, framed the jacket move as a planning intensive exercise within a high traffic fabrication environment.

“This jacket loadout is an important step for BorWin6 and it reflects the level of planning and control needed in a busy fabrication environment. As the project moves into its next phases, our team is now focused on preparing for the upcoming jack up, weighing and loadout of the topside later in 2026. The Mega Jack 5200 system will be used to provide the control and stability required to handle a structure of this size,” he said.

With the jacket now secured for transport to Europe, yard operations are transitioning from horizontal transport engineering to vertical lifting execution, resetting the logistical playbook for the next phase of BorWin6 fabrication.

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