Accessing any offshore structure can be problematic due to the movement of a vessel compared to the structure. The Ampelmann eliminates any relative motion by taking instant measurements of the ship’s motions and then compensating movement using a Stewart platform. This means that the top of the Ampelmann remains completely stationary compared to the structure. The offshore gangway can then be extended towards the structure, so all personnel can walk to work offshore safely, even in high wave conditions. The system operates at maximum windspeed of 20 m/s or 38 knots.

Besides transferring people, the system can also be used for cargo transfer up to 1000kg.

The customers that use this system are mainly operating in the offshore oil & gas industry and the offshore wind industry. They use the system to enable their employees to perform maintenance on offshore wind turbines or to work on an offshore oil rig. Both market segments are growing in a rapid pace.^[2] The offshore wind sector, for example, has grown 54% in 2009.^[3] This growth has mainly been caused by the shift to more sustainable forms of energy generation by governments all over the world. ^[4]

The customer relation of Ampelmann is only business-to-business (B2B). Platforms are usually owned by private companies, whereas wind parks are always run by private companies. There is no agent of independent status between Ampelmann and the user of the system.

• PhD thesis
• Google Patents
• Offshore Access