Reel Drive Systems

Designed to handle large, heavy reels of product with ease, the Motive Reel Drive System is a highly versatile piece of kit, capable of handling reels up to 500Te.

Modular Reel Drive Systems up to 500Te WLL


The Motive Reel Drive System is a reliable and efficient solution utilised across multiple sectors, for projects on and offshore, including renewables, decommissioning, and oil and gas.

Our Reel Drive Systems have been designed with multiple reel installations on multipurpose vessels in mind, however, can also be used for deploying one reel at a time. All functions are hydraulically powered, and large line pulls can be achieved due to the heavy-duty drive units. Our systems are modular and easily road transported, without the need for escort - designed for safe, rapid mobilisation that saves time on the quayside.

Designed to handle large, heavy reels of product with ease, Reel Drive Systems are becoming an increasingly useful method in sectors like offshore wind, where wind farms are becoming more complex, resulting in shorter length inter-array cables being supplied on reels.

400 Te Hub Drive 147 EDIT

Motive Reel Drive System overview

Suitable for handling any flexible products from subsea cables, risers, umbilical or mooring lines, Motive Reel Drive System rental projects have included deploying fiber-optic cables for island connections, underwater cable lay and retrieval, multiple lays of flexible pipes and umbilicals, and the installation of power cables for offshore wind farms.

Useful to carry out a variety of tasks, our Reel Drive Systems are highly durable and require minimal maintenance, proving a cost-effective long-term option.


With capacity up to 500Te SWL, the Motive Reel Drive System can accommodate any reel width and is modular in construction, allowing easy disassembly and transportation.

Powered by a twin 90kW electric Hydraulic Power Unit - meaning there is always a backup motor in the event of redundancy - the RDS comes complete with a 40m track system enabling the towers to move with ease while handling multiple reels.

All functions are hydraulically powered, and large line pulls can be achieved with the reel drive hub system due to the heavy-duty drive units with a maximum torque of 320kNm.
 


Increased control and efficiency

The drive unit can be controlled via a manual hydraulic control valve or remote-control station to manage the direction of pull and precise speeds.

Motive supplies a range of cable lay equipment, including Tensioners to ensure consistent pull rates and proper tension, reducing unnecessary wear or friction to the handled product, and avoiding potential damage through the product becoming too slack or tight. Utilising a Tensioner also allows the monitoring of distance, speed, and line tension bi-directionally.

Our highly experienced lay team is available to deploy with all equipment spreads to commission and operate the Reel Drive System along with A&R winches and any other Motive equipment on-board.

A fast and accurate method of flexible product deployment or retrieval compared to alternative lay or retrieval solutions involving cranes or heavy machinery, Reel Drive Systems can help to reduce time and labour.

With its ability to handle heavy loads, withstand the harshest environments, and overall versatility, the Reel Drive System is an attractive choice for enhancing any operations. Motive provides reel drive system rental on a global basis and also provides a full design and build service for equipment purchase.
 

Chris Cowperthwaite, Senior Project Manager - Enshore

Chris Cowperthwaite, Senior Project Manager - Enshore

We have used the Motive Reel Drive System and Winches over the past year and have had great reliability throughout, greatly enhancing our operations in supporting our cable installation workscope in Bahrain. This, along with the helpful and proactive assistance from all the Motive Technicians, helped Enshore complete the cable lay on schedule.

Chris Cowperthwaite, Senior Project Manager - Enshore

We have used the Motive Reel Drive System and Winches over the past year and have had great reliability throughout, greatly enhancing our operations in supporting our cable installation workscope in Bahrain. This, along with the helpful and proactive assistance from all the Motive Technicians, helped Enshore complete the cable lay on schedule.