PICTURES: Giant towhead makes slow but steady progress through Wick
A giant yellow towhead made slow but steady progress through Wick on Sunday as part of the latest Subsea 7 contract.
It is the first of three that are due to be transported through the town and out to the company’s Wester site this week.
They are for a 7.67km pipeline bundle for the Aker BP Yggdrasil project. The final offshore installation location will be the Yggdrasil field in the northern North Sea.
The contract was awarded through the Subsea Alliance.
The first towhead arrived on the cargo ship Wilson Weser at the north side of Wick harbour on Saturday. It was moved on a massive set of multi-wheeled trailers on Sunday afternoon, following the usual Subsea 7 route: up Scalesburn, along Willowbank, a tight squeeze onto Girnigoe Street, then down Henrietta Street before heading out of town via George Street.
Some lampposts had been adjusted to allow the structure, and others to follow, to get past. Small groups of onlookers gathered at various points along the route and some watched from upstairs windows as the towhead – taller than most houses – inched its way past.
There was a police presence and a fleet of support vehicles.
A further two towheads are scheduled to be moved by next Saturday.
Signs were placed on pavements recently to notify the public that movements will continue up until late August. It is understood there will be seven towheads in all over this period.
In a note delivered to local residents at the end of last week, Subsea 7 said: “Please be advised that Global Port Services are planning to move three towhead structures for the bundle project currently being fabricated by Subsea 7 at Wester site over three days between Sunday, June 15, and Saturday, June 21 (dates and times are subject to weather and police availability).
“Traffic cones will be set out along the route the day before each move… This indicates that we require all vehicles to be totally clear from these streets for the following morning.
“We thank you for your continued cooperation and patience.”
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