Introduction

Pulling Close - CALM Buoy Chain Replacement - EBT Field

In 1952 Steinbeck wrote “the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. …. (It is) the one thing that separates us from the uncreative beasts. ” This was written in East of Eden in the same year that the founder of Wale Marine was born.

In 1986, after resigning as a director of Underwater Construction (a leading Cape Town based Civil Engineering Contracting Company specialising in the design and construction of marine, harbour and piling works), Anton Wale established an engineering management practice. Nearly forty years later Wale Marine continues to create innovative engineering solutions primarily for marine clients in the offshore Oil and Gas sector.

In line with Steinbeck’s thinking, Wale Marine remains a small group of individuals who focus on creative thinking, but over the decades we have formed close associations with larger specialised companies so that we can maintain the potential of speed and flexibility associated with a dynamic and non bureaucratic core, whilst also being able to offer the larger potential of complex turnkey systems which we co‐create together with our established partners and sub‐contractors.

We are a registered Professional Engineering corporation carrying a blanket 25 million Rand professional indemnity insurance covering the design and fabrication of these services and equipment.

Wale Marine specialises both in the engineering of marine solutions and methodology as well as the design and supply of customised equipment. Our leading fabrication partners and sub‐contractors are:

  • Hyflo/Bearing Man & Hydac on the engineering and supply of hydraulic systems and components used in our design and equipment;
  • Rhino Marine and Swift engineering on the fabrication of structural steel, aluminium, mechanical, and high density polyethylene (HDPE) equipment;
  • Concrete Units/LB Pipes on the construction of reinforced and pre‐cast concrete works, as well as barges and other fabrications incorporating large diameter spirally wound steel pipework;
  • Rhino Marine Products and Customised Plastic Products on the fabrication of HDPE work boat hulls and barges.

In 2008 Wale Marine appointed Danie van der Merwe to act as our contracts manager. Danie not only has a wealth of experience and creative skills in Civil, Structural and Mechanical engineering, but also has exceptional computer skills enabling us to represent, design and communicate the creations that we develop in three dimensional model forms using Inventor. Our mission statement is simple – Assist our clients in engineering the most elegant and cost effective solutions for their needs.

Past and current clients for whom we have successfully created engineering solutions and equipment include:

  • Acergy (previously Stolt Offshore and Stolt Comex Seaway or SCS)
  • SMIT Subsea
  • Petro SA (previously Mossgas)
  • Murray and Roberts Marine
  • Cape Diving
  • Leighton India
  • Hydro Dive
  • SAIPEM
  • Bourbon