Direct-to-vessel heavy lift for Shell Victory 40 tonne Christmas Tree
As part of the Victory development West of Shetland, a 40 tonne subsea Christmas tree (XMT) required a load-out in Aberdeen ahead of offshore installation. It marked the first 7-inch tree installation for Shell in the UK.
ASCO was engaged to coordinate transport, execute the lift and supervise the quayside operation.
For ASCO, handling subsea Christmas trees of this scale is established practice. We have managed multiple heavy-lift XMT load-outs for other operators, bringing proven lifting engineering and abnormal load experience to the scope.
Client
Shell
Scope
Lifting, Supply Base, Logistics
Location
Torry Marine Base, Aberdeen, UK
Duration
March, 2025
At a glance
- Engineered and executed a complex direct-to-vessel lift of a 40+ tonne subsea Christmas tree at Torry Marine Base, Aberdeen, within a tight offshore campaign window.
- Detailed lift planning, crane selection and ground-bearing verification ensured full compliance and safe handling of a high-value asset.
- Delivered on schedule with zero incidents, protecting both asset integrity and the wider offshore installation programme.
Approach
The wider offshore campaign was operating within a limited execution window, with vessel mobilisations, subsea installation scopes and onshore modifications progressing in parallel. The Christmas tree load-out had to be engineered and executed without affecting sailing schedules.
A detailed and complex lift plan was developed by our Lifting Technical Authorities to enable safe loading of the XMT onto the installation vessel.
Crane selection was based on load weight, lift radius and quayside configuration. Particular attention was given to crane outrigger pressure calculations to ensure compliance with Aberdeen Port Authority ground-bearing loadings on the quayside. This verification was critical given the asset weight and classification.
Transport of the abnormal load was coordinated in advance and double handling was minimised with delivery directly to Torry Marine Base.
The load-out was supervised by an ASCO Operations Supervisor and carried out strictly in accordance with the approved lift plan.
Impact
The 40+ tonne Christmas tree was delivered and loaded without incident or delay, allowing the vessel to sail as planned and protecting the wider offshore installation schedule.
By engineering the lift correctly at the outset and verifying all crane and ground-bearing calculations against port authority loadings, risk to a high-value, mission-critical asset was controlled before execution began. Shell had confidence in our capability and experience with complex heavy lifts, knowing the XMT would be handled safely and efficiently.
Direct-to-vessel delivery reduced unnecessary handling, limiting exposure and protecting asset integrity.
- Vessel departure maintained as scheduled
- Critical asset protected during handling and transfer
- Zero safety incidents
- No schedule impact to offshore installation
For the client, this meant certainty. A critical component arrived offshore exactly when required, without complication - supporting a wider programme delivered at pace.