Haukeland Hospital receives patients from all over Western Norway and the North Sea, and is also the hospital with the highest expertise in burn treatment. Ambulance helicopters with patients have until now been forced to land at the base at Store Lundgårdsvann, a ca. 5 to 10 minute drive (in normal, non-rushhour traffic) from Haukeland, and patients have been transported from there to Haukeland Hospital by ambulance. A new helicopter deck with direct access to the emergency department at the hospital will save transport time for patients and speed up treatment.

Vest Krans contractor on this project is the main contractor Marine Aluminium.

Marine Aluminium is a global leader in engineering, design and manufacture of aluminum structures and products for the offshore and shipping industry. Marine Aluminium have worked with aluminum for over half a century, and has since 1974 built helicopter decks for offshore installations, ships and hospitals. This is clearly shown through their skilled and experienced personnel.

Vest Kran is responsible for transporting, raising/hoisting and lift-engineering of the helideck. The helideck is 16 - edged with a diameter of 33.3 meters and a height from the ground of over 25 meters. This is one of the largest helidecks produced by Marine Aluminium. The helideck should be large enough to accommodate even the largest helicopters in use in the North Sea (16 tonns). This means that we are talking of large dimensions to be both transported and assembled. Parts are transported to Bergen from Marine Aluminium's production sites in Karmøy and Stord.

This has been an exciting, but also a demanding and challenging project. Haukeland University Hospital has approx. 11,000 employees and operations will continue as normal throughout the project. There are many pieces that need be transported to a limited area. The crane used on the project is long and wide, and access has been a challenge due to narrow conditions and heavy traffic. This has required careful planning and creative solutions. This project has been solved through great cooperation and our skilled, creative personnel.

At the same time, the weather gods have not been on our side, and this autumn and winter have been characterized by high winds and rain. The weather peaked when the "tempest-women" Berit and Dagmar entered the stage at the end of the year.

We are now approaching the end of the project, although late, and we hope for calm days with nice weather so the job can be competed and the new helideck can be used.

We have definitely noticed a huge commitment and pride among our staff over the purpose of this project, and look forward to the finished project when the new helideck can be used.

Sources:

www.delta.no

www.m-a.no

www.bt.no