Huisman has been awarded a contract by TOA Corporation and Obayashi in Japan for the delivery of a monopile gripper.

The gripper will allow TOA and Obayashi to upend and install monopiles without using a separate upending bucket, which is said to improve the safety and efficiency of operations on board.

The Huisman Monopile Gripper will be the first of its kind to be used in Japan, Huisman said.

The gripper will be installed on TOA and Obayashi’s Self Elevating Platform (SEP), which is outfitted with a 1,250mt Huisman Pedestal Mounted Crane.