By
Cherie Rowlands |
It was an idea that seemed too obvious and too simple, says Arthur Kordt, one of four partners involved in launching the new, first-of-its-kind floating pier, SeaWalk, at Norway’s Port of Skjolden in 2012. “Many believed such a simple concept that hadn’t been done before could not be a good idea.”
Just as novel as the product is its inception. Asbjørn Nes – a farmer, long-time friend of Kordt and tellingly, inventor – approached Kordt with the initial idea. Kordt explains: “Asbjørn, the inventor, said he wanted me to look at a concept model he had created following conversations between us about the need for a new pier solution to better meet needs due to changing market conditions. These include changing industry economics, lines wanting new destinations to offer their passengers and tendering being less of an option for larger newbuilds.”
There has been a lot of work and many important milestones along the way since then. Kordt says: “Asbjørn, the sole inventor, used my knowledge about the industry and its requirements. After a couple of years, Ole Heggheim came in. He had been in the shipbuilding industry for many years and was a major executive in Aker Yards (now STX Europe). He proved vital in the industrialisation of the product. Phil Crannell, a concrete pier constructor, was important as well because he is so well-connected in Miami and put us in contact with the major executives in the big lines. Kai Levander is a legend in the naval architecture industry and the main constructor of all Royal Caribbean ship classes, including Oasis. Now retired from shipbuilding, he is part of the SeaWalk team.
“The four of us, each with our different, complementary skills, are the biggest asset in developing the concept so successfully. We believed we could create a folding cruise ship pier for a fraction of the price of a fixed pier and we did.”
Parked and folded when not in use, the design means a visiting vessel manoeuvres between moorings, the buoy and the shore, before the flexible pier is moved to either the port or starboard side of the ship, ready to provide a path to land for around four to six thousand people an hour.
There is no environmental impact and Seawalk represents half the cost and a fraction of the construction time of static piers, says Kordt. “The Skjolden pier was erected in six months, but depending on location, installation can be as fast as three months or up to 12 months,” he says.
A visit from Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth marked the SeaWalk launch at Skjolden in August 2012 and now the team is attracting interest from around the world.
“We are negotiating with a handful of ports in relation to 2014 installations, including a couple in Norway, a couple in the Med, one on the west coast of North America and another in the Far East,” says Kordt.
“Most significantly, we have signed a conditional contract for an installation in Northern Europe.”