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PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER UK 0013136.7

An innovative sub-sea piling alignment system which reduces the sizes of the piles and cuts offshore installation times has been successfully proven during the summer of 2000 in the North sea.

Known as FINNED FRAME BY SEA STEEL the system has been designed, developed and patented by IHC Sea Steel for the installation of mooring riser and initiation piles ranging from 20" to 96" in diameter.

 FINNED FRAME by SEA STEEL pat. app. no. UK0013136.7
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The key feature of FINNED FRAME BY SEA STEEL is the ability to reduce the design weight and diameter of the piles during the design phase and offshore, being able to drive the piles to full penetration in a single operation.

The frame is placed and orientated on the seabed with the pile and tethers connected. The pile is driven through two slotted "finger plates" which centrally secure the vertical attitude of the pile. Driving is then completed in one operation in a similar way to SEA STEEL FAST FRAME.

The tethers lying in the open bay with the pile correctly orientated. Piling operations can be performed in less than half the time needed for conventional methods, reducing costly vessel time, eliminating WROV intervention and making operations far safer.