Van Oord’s flexible fallpipe vessel Stornes built by CIMC Raffles has set a world record. During a period of four weeks, Stornes placed rock in water depths of up to 1,277 metres. The Subsea Rock installation works were executed in relation to the development of the Aasta Hansteen gas field and Polarled pipeline in the Norwegian Sea.
 
Recently Van Oord completed the first phase of these record subsea rock installation works, for energy company Statoil. Van Oord will execute the second phase in 2015. Then, rock will be placed after the pipelines and templates have been installed. Subsea Rock installation activities are vital for the stabilisation and protection of offshore pipelines, power cables and other subsea installations.