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at the Port of Dieppe, Sarens France, in coordination with HERBOSCH-KIERE, carried out a high-precision marine lifting operation to launch a 188-metre pipeline into the water. The pipeline, weighing 43 tonnes, required the synchronized use of eight telescopic mobile cranes with capacities between 80 and 120 tonnes. The objective was not raw lifting power but maintaining structural integrity, with crane movements precisely choreographed to control deformation along the pipeline’s length.
The lift forms part of enabling works for France’s EPR2 nuclear energy programme, a long-term plan to deploy second-generation European Pressurized Reactors across multiple sites, including Penly and Gravelines. While first-generation EPRs faced delays, the EPR2 design is central to the French government’s €70 billion nuclear revival strategy, with enabling infrastructure projects like the Dieppe lift already underway.
HERBOSCH-KIERE, with more than half a century of expertise in marine and heavy engineering, handled the marine infrastructure side of the operation. Known for their ability to manage technically complex lifts in port environments, the company ensured that the launch met tight tolerances for both safety and engineering performance.
For Sarens France, the Dieppe lift reflects a wider strategic role in national infrastructure, combining nuclear-sector work with ongoing renewable energy commitments. In parallel with the Dieppe project, Sarens is providing heavy-lift support for French offshore wind farms, including Yeu and Noirmoutier, where load-in and load-out operations for monopile and transition piece units are scheduled to conclude early next year.
The EPR2 nuclear programme is not expected to deliver its first operational reactor before 2038, but related logistics projects are moving ahead at full pace. Ports like Dieppe are serving as key staging points for oversized infrastructure components, and precision lifts such as this one ensure that pipelines, reactor components, and other critical materials are delivered without structural compromise.
The Dieppe operation also comes as HERBOSCH-KIERE marks its 50th year as a joint entity, reinforcing its position in European marine construction. The company’s portfolio spans jetty renewals, dike construction, and complex offshore installations, often in cooperation with other engineering specialists.
