- 5/29/2025
An drilling rig is towed around the world by a single tug.
A brand-new drilling rig, worth 500 million dollar, has to go from South Korea to Europe. The problem: It is too gigantic for a heavy transport vessel. The solution: it’s being towed. By one single tug. It’s a true Mega Transport, halfway around the globe – all that in just 90 days.
The Mega Transport starts in Ulsan, South Korea. West Bollsta was built here for 6 years – and is now ready to get to its operation site. But how should this beast be delivered? It’s 123 meters long and 76 meters wide. Its maximum drilling depth: incredible 12 kilometers! Way to bulky to be transported in a common way. Surprisingly, a rather small kind of boat is best for the job: the ALP Striker – one of the strongest ocean tugs in the world.
The ALP Striker will pull the drilling rig across the oceans on arm-thick steel cables. They are so heavy that only the ship's own crane can move them. Connecting tug and rig alone takes a whole day.
Once the drilling rig is towed to the tug, they’re embarking on a journey never before seen: around the cape of good hope. Navigation, pirates, wind and waves – there are many unpredictable challenges along the way. Once they have managed them all, the destination is in sight: the Canary islands.
A brand-new drilling rig, worth 500 million dollar, has to go from South Korea to Europe. The problem: It is too gigantic for a heavy transport vessel. The solution: it’s being towed. By one single tug. It’s a true Mega Transport, halfway around the globe – all that in just 90 days.
The Mega Transport starts in Ulsan, South Korea. West Bollsta was built here for 6 years – and is now ready to get to its operation site. But how should this beast be delivered? It’s 123 meters long and 76 meters wide. Its maximum drilling depth: incredible 12 kilometers! Way to bulky to be transported in a common way. Surprisingly, a rather small kind of boat is best for the job: the ALP Striker – one of the strongest ocean tugs in the world.
The ALP Striker will pull the drilling rig across the oceans on arm-thick steel cables. They are so heavy that only the ship's own crane can move them. Connecting tug and rig alone takes a whole day.
Once the drilling rig is towed to the tug, they’re embarking on a journey never before seen: around the cape of good hope. Navigation, pirates, wind and waves – there are many unpredictable challenges along the way. Once they have managed them all, the destination is in sight: the Canary islands.
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TVTranscript
00:00a brand-new 400 million dollar drilling rig has to go from South Korea to Europe 31,000
00:16tons pulled by just a single ton connected by just one steel cable one of the the wires of the
00:30connection could break potentially lethal for the crew always going to be careful on the wire
00:37if any tension coming we need to just run away a unique mega transport halfway around the world
01:07Osan South Korea Hyundai Heavy Industries the largest shipyard in the world and the birthplace of this
01:19giant the West Bolsta the largest semi submersible drilling rig in the world it is 122 meters long
01:29and fully loaded weighs 31,000 tons as much as 55 Airbus a380s with a maximum drilling depth of 12
01:39kilometers theoretically it could drill through Mount Everest almost one and a half times from
01:47the very bottom to the top it measures 122 meters making it taller than the Statue of Liberty it took
01:56all of six years to make and now it is finished and ready for its first deployment a full 25,000 kilometers
02:08away from the starting point in Osan South Korea the rig will head to Indonesia and then through the
02:20Zunda Strait from there the route leads across the Indian Ocean and around the Cape of Good Hope in 90 days the
02:32team will arrive at their destination Tenerife Spain this epic journey begins in just a few hours
02:43but not before this man gives the final go Oscar Viglund master of the rig
02:57so let's go have a look here on the seat passing the surface area of the West Bolsta is larger than a
03:05football field master Oscar's assignment before any departure secure every square inch of it it's really
03:14important everything of our equipment we have on decks rendering which are loose it's secured like this
03:21because during the transit we do expect I can expect to have some movements bad weather strong winds and we need
03:33to be prepared for that one lifeboat alone weighs almost 20 tons if it comes loose on the high seas it
03:41would be life-threatening for the crew but even smaller loose parts are a safety problem especially if
03:49they fall off the West Bolsta's derrick
04:02yeah the derrick is very high it's a straight underneath from from me standing here now all the way to the top
04:09straight underneath 80 meters so it's high it's a take takes takes a time to to climb fortunately there's an
04:19elevator it takes about a minute to top out on the derrick deck together with 40 workers master Oscar
04:40will be on the West Bolsta throughout the entire mega transport the crew uses the crossing for some final
04:47preparatory work if problems arise on the way they can react quickly for coming three months we're
04:56gonna have the towing vessel in front of us that's gonna be it's gonna be exciting transport to Europe
05:05will be carried out by a special tractor it's a rather unusual transport method
05:10normally big drilling rigs are transported using semi submersible heavy lift vessels but this is not
05:26possible with the West Bolsta the reason is the propulsion system it has a total of eight thrusters
05:33directly under its pontions with these thrusters it holds its position above a wellhead when operating or moves from one location to the next if it were transported with a semi submersible it would rest on the thrusters and damage them
05:54later in the afternoon comes the moment of truth master Oscar gives his go for the casting off it takes an excavator to move the heavy ropes that hold the huge drilling rig to the pier
06:09the anchors of the West Bolsta are so gigantic each of them weighs 18 tons too heavy for the platforms own anchor windlasses here in the harbor a crane lifts it on the open sea a specific vessel arrives for this maneuver
06:31the very first stage of the transport is carried out by harbor tugs six of them are needed to move the West Bolsta
06:47six years after the shipyard staff welded together the first steel plates for the drilling rig the giant is now leaving its birthplace
07:01and setting off on what will probably be its longest journey 25,000 kilometers at a stretch to the other side of the world
07:22the star of this mega transport is the ALP striker the world's most powerful ocean-going tug
07:3089 meters long 21 meters wide and with a top speed of the equivalent of 35 kilometers per hour
07:43thanks to her engine strength of over 24,000 horsepower she has a bollard pole of 309 tons more than any other tug in the world
07:55responsible that the 400 million dollar rig reaches its destination on time and undamaged is this man
08:09case prompt the captain of the ALP striker
08:16as one of the tug companies most experienced captains he knows that a lot can happen during the three months of towing a drilling rig over the high seas
08:24it's a huge drilling rig according to the papers it's one of the biggest drilling rigs in the world so it's also very nice that the the biggest ocean-going tug will tow the biggest drilling rig
08:39of course it's a challenge it's a trip halfway around the world and we can expect some bad weather of course during the voyage
08:47the pressure is high at the destination in Europe they're already eagerly awaiting the delivery of the west bolsta every day of delay means a six-figure loss for the rig operator and hefty cost overruns for the tug company
09:05Captain Case plans to spend the rest of the day preparing the two-kilometer long towing configuration
09:12a steel wire and chain construction
09:15then first thing in the morning they'll begin connecting it
09:19while everything on deck is going according to plan
09:23on the bridge the first problem has already presented itself
09:37we are now in contact with the VTS they gave us an anchor position
09:43only it's a little bit too far from the drilling rig
09:46so stand by
09:50boost on VTS striker go ahead
09:53in order not to lose any time the next day
09:56Captain Case wants to anchor as close as possible to the drilling rig
10:01but the port authority has some objections
10:04what is your safe distance from the west bolsta then we will look for a position
10:09what is the minimum safe distance
10:11the minimum safe distance
10:12the minimum safe distance at least five cables
10:160.5 nautical miles
10:19the port authority insists on a greater safety distance
10:23the risk of a collision is too high
10:26Captain Case has to find a compromise
10:34yes this is ALP striker
10:35we find a new position
10:380.6 cables
10:410.6 nautical miles
10:42from the west bolsta
10:44if the port authority rejects the proposal
10:48the whole schedule will be ruined
10:501, 2, 9 degrees
10:540, 4
10:56ALP striker
10:57please check the position
10:58you can go
11:00copy that
11:01the position is good
11:02we will proceed to that
11:04and we will let you know when we drop the anchor
11:07thank you
11:09stand by
11:12alright
11:13let's go to that position
11:15just over a kilometer from the rig
11:18the ALP striker finally anchors
11:23the last quiet night for the tug crew
11:28the next day
11:406 in the morning
11:42in 8 hours
11:43at the latest Captain Case wants to leave South Korea
11:47with a huge rig in tow
11:48I'm turning the vessel now
11:57and slowly proceeding to the west bolsta
12:02and then we will start making preparations for our whole neck
12:07and once we are ready in the west bolsta we will start
12:12Despite the time pressure the crew must take care not to make any mistakes
12:17during the connecting process
12:20after all the connection has to last a full three months
12:24to make sure the tug can pull the 31,000 ton rig on its own
12:29it requires an ingenious system of chains and steel cables
12:34first the crew mounts a steel wire
12:37in combination with massive chains to the pontoons of the rig
12:40a part called delta plate connects the two wires to the LAP strikers 8 cm thick main towing wire
12:51thanks to this triangular arrangement
12:55the tensile forces are spread evenly
12:58this relieves the load on the fixing points and wires
13:02and makes them more durable
13:03it also enhances maneuverability
13:11two emergency wires ensure that the ALP striker can reconnect to the west bolsta
13:18in case the main connection snaps during a storm
13:21the captain's right-hand man responsible for a safe wire connection
13:31his chief mate Dmitry Nefedov
13:34very good condition
13:40everything already done
13:43prepared just small thing
13:45but anyway
13:46step by step
13:48we will fix
13:50any issue will come
13:52Dmitry can't count the number of times he has discussed the mounting plan with his team over the last few days
14:00whether or not it will work will only become clear in the next few hours
14:05we will see
14:07I believe
14:09everything goes smoothly
14:11captain case is moving the tug into position
14:16the team is ready to go
14:22step one
14:24attach the two 60 meter long emergency wires to the rigs anchor chains
14:29during the crossing they hang loose and are only used in case of an emergency
14:35deck bridge
14:37ok
14:39they are lowering down the pennant
14:41please
14:43one guy in contact with the crane for the
14:47we are not handling
14:51the west bolsta crane lifts the first of the huge anchor chains onto the deck of the tug
14:57a safety pin
15:06keeps them in place
15:08while they are being connected
15:10to make sure no one gets hurt
15:12it is dangerous work
15:14it is dangerous work
15:16it is really dangerous
15:18because always under tension
15:21all equipment, all gears
15:23and very heavy
15:25you can see it
15:31this shackle alone weighs almost 150 kilograms
15:36it connects the anchor chain
15:38with the emergency wire
15:44the pin of the shackle will fit through the chain
15:47there is no issue
15:49no issue
15:51we need to move a little bit
15:56this is a mega transport in which even the smallest parts are huge
16:01on the bridge one thing counts above all else
16:04keep calm
16:12I am keeping at the moment the vessel in a proper position
16:16and having the complete overview that the vessel stays in position
16:22the crew on deck is working good
16:24I am not really busy with the guys on deck with the wires, shackles and things like that
16:30but in my mind it is making overtime
16:34because in the end
16:37no matter who makes the mistake
16:39he is responsible
16:45on deck the crew has now attached the first emergency wire to the anchor chain
16:50next step
16:56crane drop down
16:58wire
17:00and hook up
17:02to another end of this pennant
17:04pick up
17:06and move away
17:08one step done
17:10the crane lifts the chain
17:12and the emergency wire back onto the rig
17:15in case the main connection breaks during the journey
17:18the rig crew attaches a light buoy to it
17:21and throws the wire into the water
17:23it is the only chance they have to reconnect
17:25okay guys
17:32be careful
17:33clear
17:34clear
17:35clear
17:36inside
17:41boss you can take our safety pin
17:43safety pin
17:44safety pin
17:45the first step is complete
17:59the emergency wires are in position
18:06well we calculated for the whole procedures to take about an hour
18:10and it also
18:12took one hour
18:13so at the moment we are on schedule
18:15no delay
18:16so everything goes fine at the moment
18:18only now does the crew begin with the most important step
18:22connecting the drilling rig
18:24and the tug
18:28Captain Case needs to change the tug's position
18:31to attach the massive steel chains to the pontoons of the drilling rig
18:35the ALP striker has to drive extremely close to the rig
18:48chief mate Dimitri gives final instructions to his crew
18:51I don't know, no idea
19:10maybe good luck
19:13they can certainly use that
19:16Dimitri's primary assistant on deck is bosun Razel Dialeg
19:23he is coordinating the deck crew
19:30for the maneuver
19:32a part of the tug crew transfers to the west bolsta
19:35the plan is to connect one pontoon at a time
19:38to get the chain from the tug to the pontoon
19:54the ALP striker has to get even closer to the rig
19:58just five meters away
20:00neither of them is firmly anchored
20:02in order to minimize the risk of a collision
20:10the crew attaches a radar amplifier at the west bolsta
20:15it amplifies the position signal for the ALP striker
20:19that way the onboard computer
20:21can hold the tugboat's position accurate
20:24to an incredible 20 centimeters
20:26in spite of the swell
20:27in spite of the swell
20:35we need to connect the overhoist
20:38to the button
20:40and bring it directly inside the smith breaker
20:44with the hoist, they pull the chain over
20:48ok, yeah, give it
20:51thank you
20:53they're all under a lot of pressure
20:55the tension is high
20:58they know that any mistake they make now
21:01will not become apparent until they're already on the high seas
21:05pulling their 400 million dollar freight
21:10now it's very main step
21:12we need to connect the third chain
21:15chafing chain to smith bracket
21:17it's not so easy
21:18the part attached directly to the pontoon is called the chafing chain
21:27it alone weighs a good four tons
21:30as much as three small cars
21:33I need three or four people to take this one
21:39it takes time to position the unwieldy iron chain
21:45with centimeter precision
21:46with centimeter precision
21:51Captain Case is getting impatient
22:02guys, above the pin you have a vertical bar
22:04that's for hammering
22:06use the vertical bar on top of it for hammering
22:08there is always a small chance that something could happen like
22:20one of the wires of the connection could break
22:24finally, the crew succeeds in positioning the chain
22:29a 25 centimeter thick bolt holds it in place
22:32everything is fine, we almost, almost finished the job
22:44lubricating grease in the lead
22:48should prevent the solid steel from breaking
22:51due to friction
22:53the preparations for the spectacular mega transport
22:57are half done
22:58now, it's time for connecting the second pontoon
23:03by now, the team is experienced with this specific set of gear
23:07in the early afternoon
23:10both pontoons of the rig
23:12are connected to the ALP striker
23:16Captain Case wants to avoid starting in the dark
23:19because there is a lot of traffic around the coast
23:22once they are back on board
23:25once they are back on board
23:27we will slowly move to the center
23:30more to the port
23:32and then we will play out the side
23:37and then we will start making the final connection
23:40on the delta plate
23:42the last step is to connect the chains
23:45that the crew has attached to the pontoons of the rig
23:48to the main towing wire
23:49the connecting piece, the so-called delta plate
23:56is a solid steel plate
23:58it will be under water during the entire transport
24:02that means they can't monitor it along the way
24:06the team also secures each connection
24:07using a cotter pin
24:08it prevents the huge screws from loosening
24:10due to the enormous load
24:15the team also secures each connection
24:18using a cotter pin
24:20it prevents the huge screws from loosening
24:22due to the enormous load
24:23now comes the decisive moment
24:42the wire construction has to be under tension
24:46before they can tell whether the crew has done a good job
24:50yeah, I am happy because everybody alive
25:06it's a first priority
25:08and job is done as well
25:10successfully
25:12the connection is established
25:14the mega-transport is ready for its journey
25:17halfway around the world
25:19just in time
25:21shortly before nightfall
25:23the team leaves for Europe
25:25they should arrive there in just 90 days
25:28the first big stage of the route leads the team from Osan and South Korea
25:40across the Indian Ocean to Walvis Bay in Namibia
25:45there they will replenish supplies, refuel and swap part of the crew
25:50on the way there are short stops in Singapore and Mauritius
25:55the first stage is scheduled to take 65 of the total 90 planned days
26:01at first the team is lucky
26:05the weather is agreeable
26:07at around 13 km per hour
26:10they are even faster than planned
26:13on day 20 they are already approaching the Sunda Strait
26:17but it is winter in Asia
26:19and the weather can change at any time
26:22on ALP Strikers Bridge
26:26Captain Case therefore constantly checks the forecast
26:29four times per day we receive an update of the weather
26:39and then we can closely monitor that
26:42see if there is bad weather coming
26:45or less favorable weather
26:47and according those forecasters
26:50then we can decide if we stay on the route
26:53or we will change a little bit our heading to avoid bad weather
26:59or to look for the current
27:02because when you are towing it's also very important
27:05avoiding bad weather is the top priority
27:09because the more wind the higher the swell
27:12the slower the ALP Strikers can go
27:15a storm would mean a complete stop
27:17a complete stop and a costly delay
27:20to the mega transport by several days
27:25the West Bolsta is extremely sensitive to wind
27:29during transport the rig has a draft of only 13 meters
27:32and floats on the water
27:34its large superstructures work like a sail
27:37strong wind could carry her far away
27:40in the worst case scenario
27:42the wire connection could break
27:44to avoid that the West Bolsta crew can initiate a plan called survival draft
27:50they flood their ballast tanks in the pontoons with seawater
27:54sinking the rig a further 7 meters
27:57this shifts its center of gravity and stabilizes the rig
28:03Day 30 of the mega transport
28:06in the meantime the team has reached the Indian Ocean
28:09the supervision of the valuable cargo
28:12is a full-time job for the captain and his officers
28:20most important thing is the tension meter
28:23the graph
28:25how the tension is going
28:27if it is too jumpy
28:29then you can reduce the power
28:31and if it's more or less steady
28:33then keep going
28:34yeah
28:36and also
28:38the traffic around you
28:40some vessels
28:42in our area could be some fishing vessels
28:44but it's kind of very hard to detect using our radar
28:48so you better have to keep
28:50a very good lookout
28:52a ship passing between tug and rig
28:55could in the worst case
28:57damage the main towing wire
28:59during transport enormous forces act on the wire connection at all times
29:09so far the connection is held
29:12but there are still almost 15,000 kilometers to go
29:15that's why Captain Case regularly checks the connection with his drone
29:30the earlier he discovers any damage
29:33the greater the chance of being able to repair it in time
29:35his main focus is on the attachment points of the chains
29:44waves, salt water and up to 100 tons of tensile force
29:49also affect the massive iron chains
29:52look at the connection on the pontoon
29:58see if the quick lures bracket is still good
30:03here at the Panama lead
30:06there are no damages or things like that
30:08everything looks good there
30:11but there is a problem with the emergency wire
30:14the waves have tangled it up on the pontoon
30:17so in case of the main tow line connection is breaking
30:25and we need to connect on the emergency pendant
30:29it will not be possible on the off side
30:32because it's turned around this bollard
30:34so I will inform West Bolsta now, the OIM
30:39to see if they can solve this problem
30:42if they can do it now or otherwise in the next port of call
30:48a dangerous situation that Captain Case only recognized in good time
30:54thanks to regular drone checks
30:56West Bolsta, ALP striker
31:00ALP striker, West Bolsta
31:05During the entire mega transport
31:08the rig is manned by almost 40 personnel
31:11their task is to intervene quickly
31:14in precisely such cases
31:15due to its huge size and its draft of 13 meters
31:30the West Bolsta creates a lot of resistance
31:33an enormous load for the engines of the ALP striker
31:37which must run constantly on full power
31:39therefore the engine control room of the tug is manned around the clock
31:49Denis Shumakov is the chief engineer on board
31:52here on this vessel it's a lot of equipment, you know, a lot of systems
32:03just to find the time if we have some leaking, if we have some problems
32:08if we have some abnormals
32:10because a lot of equipment in the same moment running here
32:13although all technology is computer monitored
32:15although all technology is computer monitored
32:18chief engineer Denis and his team
32:20take a tour of the engine room every four hours
32:32first item on the checklist
32:34the four 6100 horsepower engines of the ALP striker
32:38Denis checks the pressure in the cylinders
32:43next up is the control room
32:47could be wrong
32:49some problem with frequency
32:50some problem with load
32:52some problem with another insulation
32:54more or less
32:55actually we have an electrician
32:56but in any cases it's included in our round, you know
32:59to be sure
33:01last stop
33:02the propeller shafts
33:06they run through the entire vessel
33:13after half an hour
33:17the tour is finished
33:19so all round is done, all okay
33:21and the next check is due in just three and a half hours
33:26almost all crew members are on board during the interview
33:30crew members are on board during the entire three month mega transport
33:34a long time without family, friends and home comforts
33:39this makes shared events such as the Sunday barbecue on deck
33:44all the more important
33:53and the crew doesn't forget to have some fun
33:56they especially enjoy karaoke
33:58let's go
34:01there
34:02no
34:03no
34:06no
34:08ah
34:09no
34:18no
34:19no
34:21no
34:23no
34:25moon
34:26Over the next few weeks, mile by mile, the team approaches its intermediate destination
34:40in Namibia.
34:43On the high seas, the ALP striker pulls the drilling rig at a distance of almost two kilometers
34:50behind it.
34:55The greater the distance between tug and tow, the deeper the wire sags.
34:59This acts as a shock absorber, reducing the tension and thus protects the main towing wire
35:04and the chain anchors on the rig.
35:06This is the only way for the connection to survive the continuous load.
35:11However, this is only possible in deep water.
35:15Due to its own weight, the main towing wire hangs extremely low.
35:21At a full length of 2,000 meters, the deepest point is 120 meters below the surface.
35:31In shallow water, the steel cable would grind on the rocky seabed and break.
35:37So, when they are near a coastline, the crew has to pull the rig at a distance of around
35:42400 meters minimum.
35:46day 64 of the mega transport.
35:50Tomorrow, the team will call at the port of Namibia.
35:53So, the crew has to start shortening the main towing wire now.
35:57You just need to pay good attention when you are heaving in the wire that you do it easy,
36:07not too fast, because then you can get too high tensions on the wire.
36:11A 10-centimeter thick rubber sheath protects the wire at the stern roller to keep it from chaffing
36:19and damaging.
36:20In order to shorten the wire, this protector must now be removed.
36:25Bozen Rezel's deck crew is getting ready.
36:28Spiker bridge deck.
36:30Yes, bridge deck, go ahead.
36:31Yes, bridge deck.
36:32Yes, bridge deck, go ahead.
36:33Yes, bridge deck, go ahead.
36:34Yes, bridge deck, go ahead.
36:35Yes, we are ready now.
36:36Yes, okay.
36:37Yes, you can start removing the clamps for the fixed protectors.
36:40Roger, start removing the clamps.
36:44The wire is under extreme tension throughout the entire task.
36:52It's really dangerous to work here, especially when the weather is moving.
36:57I mean, the vessel is moving all the time, so you have to be very careful, and also on the wire.
37:02You have to be very careful on it, and you have to watch each other.
37:06A single wave can cause the 8-centimeter thick steel wire to jump and hit one of the crew members,
37:13potentially fatal.
37:18Okay.
37:19Okay.
37:20Okay.
37:21Okay.
37:22Okay.
37:23Here you come.
37:24Please heave up.
37:25Heave up the wire.
37:40West Bolsta, striker.
37:42Striker, Bolsta.
37:45Yeah, good afternoon.
37:46For your information, we will start heaving some tow wire.
37:51We will let you know once finished, and then we give the new length.
37:55The main towing wire is attached to a huge winch that can handle up to 13 meters per minute.
38:06But, after a short time, Captain Case has to stop.
38:13Deck, bridge, Razzell.
38:17You have to hit that forward.
38:19Yeah.
38:20We have some fishing line on the tow wire, so can you go to the aft, check with the guys,
38:27and cut away if necessary.
38:29Okay, here you come.
38:30No problem.
38:31Yeah, we'll go on deck now.
38:33Yeah, thank you.
38:36During the tow, the team has ran across a fishing line, which has wrapped itself around the main wire.
38:43If they don't remove it, it will get cut in the winch and block it.
38:50These lines can be kilometers long.
38:53Captain Case is afraid they'll lose a lot of time.
38:59The anchorages and tanker in the port in Walvis Bay are already booked.
39:04Each hour of delay costs thousands of dollars.
39:08The next few hours, they shorten the main towing wire meter by meter, while the ALP Striker begins its approach along the East African coast.
39:21they shorten the main towing wire meter by meter while the ALP striker begins
39:27its approach along the East African coast they reach Walvis Bay as planned
39:33in the morning of day 65 of the mega transport nice to see some land again
39:40after four weeks four weeks ago we left Port Louis in Mauritius here in Walvis
39:48Bay the tug and rig have to replenish supplies and refuel for safety reasons
39:53they may not be connected when refueling responsible for disconnecting is chief
39:59mate Daniel Foy cool again they have to work quickly and with as much care as
40:10possible after all the wire construction is still under tension always going to be
40:17careful on the wire if any tension coming we need to just run away the captain will
40:23drive from the bridge so if he's losing position can become a big angle on a big
40:29angle the wire can just snap like in one second the plan is to uncouple the main
40:35wire and transfer the towing connection to West Bolston that saves a lot of time
40:41the downside is that the tug has to drive extremely close to the rig to avoid a crash the West Bolston must
40:52retain a precise position therefore its dynamic positioning system constantly analyzes wind waves and satellite
41:07information concerning the position of the rig from this data the program calculates the thrust and
41:14angle of the thrusters which hold the rig in place making adjustments automatically thanks to
41:22this system the West Bolsta can maintain its position to an accuracy of half a meter even
41:29with waves reaching five meters high for safety reasons specially trained operators constantly monitor the
41:38control system on the West Bolsta bridge should the computer fail they can intervene in an emergency at
41:46this moment at this moment we have around 10 knots wind and calm sea so it's enough to use four thrusters from eight available we are able to keep the position up to 20 centimeters
41:59the crew of the ALP striker detaches the chain construction from the main towing wire
42:13then they have to attach the whole thing to the West Bolsta crane
42:29they finish it in record time the entire task took just one and a half hours
42:40straight on to the next task because unless they leave Walvis Bay within 24 hours the mega transport won't reach its
42:59final destination in Tenerife on time they still have 24 hours of hard work both the ALP
43:10striker and the West Bolsta have to refuel in order to achieve this special tankers go to the
43:17anchorage after almost two months of traveling the storerooms of the ALP striker are empty captain case has
43:27ordered food worth several thousand dollars
43:34the entire crew from the officer to the engine operator will pitch in to help storing the supplies
43:40and everyone is looking forward to dinner
43:51they also take advantage of the stop to conduct an external inspection of the tug
43:56at the rear of the tug chief mate Daniel discovers an unusual substance
44:07this is not normal what we have now all this white looks like some algae but at the beginning I was
44:19thinking maybe some oil and it's attacking the silicon but it looks like only some algae
44:26ok go to port set all clear fortunately while his crew continues to inspect the vessel below
44:35up on the bridge captain case is already preparing to cast off
44:41so the weather for the next days is looking really good
44:48it's important that for the first 24 a 48 hours we need good weather because we will be still on some
44:55shallow waters it's looking good and for the rest of the voyage the last part of the this last part
45:03it's looking real nice so that's very good to know after less than 24 hours in Namibia the ALP striker already lifts its anchors again and embarks on the final stage of the mega transport
45:20this leg of the journey will take the ALP striker and its cargo from Walvis Bay in Namibia along the African coast around to Tenerife
45:30they are scheduled to arrive in just 25 days almost six and a half thousand kilometers still lie ahead of them
45:43but Neptune god of the seas is well disposed towards them and so early in the morning of day 90 the mega transport reaches its destination on time
45:56the port of Santa Cruz Tenerife on its way from South Korea to the Canary Islands the team has covered exactly 25,204 kilometers and crossed three oceans
46:11all that remains is to loosen the connection to the rig
46:15for the disconnection operations everything looks good I don't expect any big problems the weather is perfect not much wind not much sea
46:28on deck the crew begins to haul in the chains then they loosen the connection screw by screw
46:36after three hours it's done
46:43after three hours it's done
46:49one moment okay
46:51bolsta striker
46:55striker bolsta go ahead
46:58yeah well yeah after three months that's finished
47:03yeah
47:10yeah also same from our side happy to bring you over here and let's hope till next time
47:24everything went safe it was a long voyage and now for us it's time to go home after a long long trip
47:32captain case and his crew have done their job and delivered their valuable cargo to its destination on time and undamaged
47:41the west bolsta is now being prepared for its first drilling program
47:46and for the crew of alp striker it's time for some well-deserved rest until the next mega transport
47:55one
47:58leaf rug
48:05the
48:06the
48:07the
48:08the
48:09the
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