Sarens successfully executes weighing and loadout for more than 7.000 tons of a new Topside for Hornsea offshore windfarm

Sarens, world leader in heavy lifting, engineered transport and crane rental services, has successfully finished the weighing and loading operations of the Hornsea Topside Z01 at the Aibel MTP Yard in Map Ta Phut, Thailand. This critical operation, carried out on behalf of Aibel Norway and Orsted, is a key milestone in the offshore wind project of Hornsea, one of the world’s largest wind farms.

To undertake this project, Sarens made use of its cutting edge machinery and a range of high-capacity weighing and transport equipment to meet the project’s technical requirements: weighing equipment such as 9 Jacks of 400 tons, 29 of 500 tons, load cells with capacity for 500 tons as well as 2 Hydraulic Power Units. To carry out heavy transports Sarens used 387 Self-Propelled Modular Trailer axle lines of and 16 Power Processing Units , as well as Kamag and Scheuerle SPMTs models as complementary equipment to facilitate movement.

Ensuring maximum safety over the area of execution, the Sarens team performed CAudl calculations to ensure that the weight was as low as possible during execution of loadout. Given the low capacity of the quayside, guaranteeing that the ground bearing pressure of “GBP” was always below 5 tons of CAudl, and carrying out the task with a specialized Sarens team with meticulous execution.

The transport process with the above-mentioned equipment was carried out with the utmost precision whose main part, the HORNSEA Topside Z01, consists of dimensions of 73.6m long, 50.6m wide, 40m high and more than 7,000 tons in weight. All carried out by a dedicated crew of 10 operators, ensuring safety and precision throughout the process.

Thanks to Sarens' extensive experience in large-scale offshore wind projects, the operation ran smoothly and as planned between March 7th and April 8th 2025. The greatest challenge of this project was the limited capacity at the quayside, which required careful weight distribution during loadout through the precise calculations mentioned above. In the words of Robert Suh, Project Manager at Sarens: "The team has had a clear commitment to execute the project in the most meticulous way, guaranteeing at all times safety, avoiding any delays and performing the work assigned on time and form.", praising the team’s execution.

Sarens has played a key role in the Hornsea wind farm since the year the project started back in 2018. The team extends its gratitude to Aibel Norway and Orsted for their trust and collaboration in this project. With a continued focus on engineering excellence and operational precision, Sarens remains a global leader in heavy lifting and specialised transport for the offshore wind industry, with a proven track record around the world with cases such as Saint-Nazaire wind farm in France or the Coastal Virginia Offshore Windfarm in the United States.

Sarens is the global leader and reference in crane rental, heavy lift and engineered transportation services. With state-of-the-art equipment, value engineering, one of the world's largest inventories of cranes, transporters and special rigging equipment, Sarens offers creative and intelligent solutions to today's heavy lifting and engineering transport challenges.

With more than 100 entities in 66 countries operating without borders, Sarens is an ideal partner for small to large-scale projects. Sarens currently employs 5,000 highly qualified professionals who are ready to serve the needs of any client worldwide and in all market sectors. https://www.sarens.com/