Maritime Suppliers – Nothing is Impossible: Smart Format Gripper and Substation on the Open Sea

April 2010

The products from the Orts plc engineering works at Sereetz near Lübeck can really grip. This medium-sized maritime supplier firm specialises in the development and construction of grippers of all types and sizes, which are deployed in goods handling all over the world above all in the maritime economy. The highest selling Orts gripper is an electro-hydraulic unit with a volume capacity of twelve cubic metres, according to information from Sigvard Orts jr., Deputy Managing Director of the company. “It can easily grip a small Smart car and transport it in a single stroke”, says Orts jr., making clear its capabilities. A life-size example of this type of gripper, which is the preferred choice for self-loading bulk carriers, will be on display in early May at the international maritime specialist trade fair BalticFuture (from 4th to 6th May) in Rostock.

Following the premiere of BalticFuture in autumn 2008, Orts plc from Sereetz is represented as an exhibitor at the second edition of the specialist trade fair in Rostock. “We wanted to showcase our
innovative products and to make new contacts, but first and foremost, Rostock is a good springboard for the market in the Baltic Sea Region, in particular Poland, Russia and the Baltic States”, emphasises the Orts vice-chief. The company also wanted to plumb the depths of new market opportunities in the offshore sector, for example with special grippers for underwater construction.

The Rostock company SEAR plc has already ventured out onto the open sea; it is a medium-sized company specialising in electrical and power plant technology. In 2009, on behalf of Siemens AG, the
company supplied for the first time a complete substation for the offshore wind farm “Bard Offshore I”. This was erected on a living and transformer platform 100km north-west of the island of Borkum in the North Sea. Among other things required for its extensive electrotechnical equipping were 15km of cabling and wiring that were laid on the platform. “Until now we have installed substation technology only on land”, says SEAR Managing Director Thomas Lambusch. “Offshore places new requirements on the technology, which at sea is faced with higher levels of humidity and therefore corrosion.” The engineers would have to have been very creative to enable the realisation of such cabling in the smallest possible space.

SEAR plc has at its disposal many years of experience particularly suited to this issue. In 2001 the company electro-technically equipped the oil rig “Stena Don”, which was built in the shipyard at Rostock- Warnemünde. The company wanted to build on this at BalticFuture 2010, “where we would like to make ourselves better known in offshore wind energy and to initiate new business”, states Managing Director Lambusch. SEAR plc is represented for the first time as an exhibitor at the international maritime specialist trade fair.

The medium-sized maritime supplier industry is the backbone of the maritime industry. Up to 70% of all construction components used in shipbuilding are manufactured by small and medium-sized suppliers. Without them large projects in this sector cannot be realised. No cruise ships, no oil rigs, no offshore wind farms. BalticFuture 2010 offers medium-sized maritime suppliers an international platform to discuss strategies and perspectives in new sectors, for example offshore wind energy and maritime technology. At the networking event B2B@BalticFuture on 6th May, the third day of the trade fair, exhibitors and specialist visitors have a comfortable opportunity to conduct bilateral discussions with potential businesspartners.

Further information at www.baltic-future.com