Nicholas Pine is used to a bit of everything. With his job as A2SEA’s site manager for West of Duddon Sands, he certainly needs to be. Before joining the offshore wind industry and A2SEA three years ago, he worked all over the world with heavy construction projects. Now, you might think that Asia and the Middle East, in particular, would have thrown enough challenges at him to last a lifetime, but Nicholas is thriving on his latest home ground at Belfast harbour – and he’s enjoying working with SEA INSTALLER, too.

“The job of site manager has many different faces,” says Nicholas. “From working alongside project management to solve critical issues to practical tasks such as purchasing ad hoc personal items for the crew.”

“It’s varied work,” he continues. “Every day is different. When the vessel is in port you are on the go from early mornings. Prior to load outs I have to make sure the client’s assets are ready to go on according to the agreed load sequence. For maintenance or repair issues I work closely with the Vessel Superintendent and the Master. And I have to coordinate the contractors who come to the vessel from all over Europe. My day ends late in the evening, checking that food and provisions are delivered safely, providing spare parts, making sure planned maintenance is carried out effectively on, for example, telecommunications equipment and so on – there’s no end to the list.”

“As a site manager, you need to build up a large network to help get all the jobs done effectively. You might have to coordinate a visit from a telecoms engineer in Denmark or the Netherlands, getting him on board when the vessel arrives, or flying him to some part of the UK to meet the vessel wherever it is,” says Nicholas. “Having been on the Ormonde project before, I already have a good local knowledge base in place, which really helps.”

“You have to have a good overview. With crew changes, your experience tells you what issues might arise. It’s a lot about predicting what might happen. By watching, for example, the weather, foreseeing problems with delayed flights or heavy traffic – all of which can make a crew transfer an interesting challenge, you might say. Working closely with the Master and the crew department, our main aim is to get on-signers on board safely, on time and with minimal delays.”

Like anyone who knows the vessel well, Nicholas is impressed with the SEA INSTALLER. “One of her big advantages is her manoeuvrability, which shows especially during docking in a busy port. It’s a fantastic vessel and a great crew to work with!”

 

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