Pipe Chocks

The S71 / S72 system

Havdyn pipe chocks replace the wooden chocks used to stack and secure large-diameter pipes. The system is developed in collaboration with Subsea7, whose operational requirements, calculations and field experience drove key decisions in the design. The Subsea7 Vigra Spoolbase was our first customer, with a substantial order.

The new design is not made to be extreme in any direction, but to be a well-balanced compromise between strength, safety, utility and cost. Wooden chocks are prone to cracking and sudden failure, creating dangerous situations and leaving rusted nails behind to scar the coating. The new chocks are sacrificial by design; a soft polymer surface that will not damage pipe coatings, with strength from heavy wall thickness and a dense internal rib structure. The geometry is demanding to produce, but precisely matched to the task: safer for the pipes, and safer for the people handling them.

The geometry itself is carefully crafted through many iterations. The angle and main dimensions come largely from Subsea7’s long experience. The screws are just the right kind, fastened at an angle to dig into the wood without splitting it, and leaving their heads easily accessible for inspection. These are seemingly simple products, but full of detail: surface texture, compression ribs, friction patterns underneath. The S71 even has a canary rib, designed to break first with an audible crack, warning operators before the chock fails structurally.

These are Havdyn’s first own-brand products, produced in Norway by PLA-MEK AS, the manufacturing partner who supported the development from early prototype to series production, and in the process became an approved Subsea7 supplier.

Material and additives are selected in close collaboration with PLA-MEK and their suppliers: a high-quality, UV-stabilized HDPE built to withstand prolonged outdoor use in rough marine environments. High-visibility orange is the default colour, with others available on request.

Both chocks are registered designs in Norway, and international design protection has been applied for through WIPO. The S71 is in series production now; the smaller S72 follows in Q4 2026.

Product Data

Product documentation is available for review, including material data, product drawings, reference CAD files and our Product Manual. Physical samples are available for evaluation before purchase. We are available to support technical questions, project qualification and documentation requirements.