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Giant operation in Klevefjorden shows the port's importance for regional value creation
December 16, 2025
When the 225-meter-long special vessel GPO Grace sailed into Klevefjorden to pick up Macro Offshore's accommodation rig Crossway Eagle, it marked the largest ship operation ever carried out in this section of the harbor.
The operation clearly illustrates how ports, fairways and maritime expertise function as a crucial tool to enable complex and value-creating missions in the region.
GPO Grace is one of the few ships in the world with this capacity. The ship is 225 meters long and 48 meters wide, and can be lowered so that the top of the deck is up to 15 meters underwater. The deck is dimensioned for loads of 30 tons per square meter, which makes the vessel particularly suitable for transporting large offshore installations.
Demanding operation – made possible by the right port
In Klevefjorden, Crossway Eagle was towed over the ship after the deck had been lowered about eight meters underwater. The rig was then lifted up and secured on board in a so-called float-on operation, in which Pentagon played a central role in the implementation. “The float-on operation in Mandal alone has an estimated value of between three and four million kroner. Most of it goes to central players such as the Norwegian Coastal Administration, Farmar and the port, but it also trickles down to smaller suppliers, transport services and local purchases. It illustrates well how such operations have ripple effects far beyond the main mission itself,” says Kirsti Dvergsnes, Pentagon Marine AS. After three days of extensive sea security, GPO Grace set course for New York, where the rig will be relaunched. “Whatever experience we may lack in this type of operation, we make up for with a positive attitude and a clear “yes we can” attitude. This characterized the entire collaboration, and was consistent for all players who participated in the operation.”
The rig has already been awarded a 6 + 4 year offshore wind contract with Siemens Energy, underscoring the transition from oil and gas-related assignments to renewable energy.
The fact that such an operation can be carried out in the Lindesnes region is about more than the ship itself:
- protected waters and stable conditions in the Klevefjord
- short and efficient approach
- plenty of space for maneuvering and temporary securing
- close interaction between port, pilots, tugboats and operators
Kristiansand Port IKS has assisted the operation with port expertise, local personnel and boats, in close collaboration with the pilots and other maritime actors.
Groundbreaking maintenance – drydocking without drydocking
The maintenance of Crossway Eagle is carried out at Windport on Gismerøya in Mandal, where GOT Vinje Industri AS, among other things, has been responsible for a comprehensive 10-year SPS (Structural Periodic Survey). The classification was carried out in a way that clearly differs from traditional solutions.
For the first time, the rig was jacked up using large barges, so that the legs themselves could be inspected one by one.
– What has also been done for the first time is to jack up the rig with barges so that we could inspect the legs themselves. We can do this because we have a protected harbor and, not least, very little tidal difference in Southern Norway. This means that we can carry out drydock activities without a drydock, says Turid Storhaug, general manager of Windport.
The prepared seabed at Windport on Gismerøya made it possible for the rig to stand stably on two legs while the weight was taken off by bringing a large barge under the rig. GOT Vinje Industri has been responsible for the actual 10-year classification for ABS, as a subcontractor to Windport.
In addition to the classification, maintenance and upgrade work worth tens of millions of kroner was carried out, with the participation of dozens of local and regional companies. On average, over 100 workers were involved in the work while the rig was at the dock for a little over two months.
Collaboration as a competitive advantage
Lindesnes Municipality's head of industry, Kjell Rune Olsen, points out that the project clearly shows what is possible when collaboration works optimally:
The project clearly demonstrates that the industry in Agder has the prerequisites to succeed with very complex assignments when interaction, expertise and a willingness to cooperate are in place. The nature of the Klevefjord – with protected waters, short approach and almost zero tidal difference – makes the area a sought-after port for many types of maritime and industrial operations.
The operation itself, from maintenance and grading to transfer to GPO Grace for transport, has required a high degree of precision, accuracy, determination and cooperation between all parties involved.
The port expertise and experience have been central to the interaction with the crews at Windport and other suppliers. Flexibility and service attitude are noticed far beyond the borders of Agder - and are considered the best marketing the industry can get in the effort to secure more such assignments in the future.
A strategic resource for future missions
The operation with GPO Grace and Crossway Eagle shows how the Klevefjord and associated port areas are a strategic resource for the region's maritime industry. When Kristiansand Havn IKS disposes of port areas with different qualities, the room for action for the business community in Agder increases to succeed in multiple markets.
The project at Windport – where Crossway Eagle is now being transformed from oil and gas-related assignments to offshore wind – is a clear example of how ports, industry and supply chains can together contribute to jobs, value creation and the green shift.
