Oil Tank at Skagaströnd
Tanks
Large storage tanks have been part of Héðinn’s project portfolio since the very beginning.
Large storage tanks have been on Héðinn’s project list ever since the company’s early years. In 1927, Héðinn and Hamar undertook the largest project that Icelandic machine shops had taken on up to that time: the construction of oil tanks for Shell HF’s new oil storage facility, which was built by Skerjafjörður. The work began in June that year and was nearly completed by December. Between fifty and one hundred people worked on the project daily. Three large oil tanks and several smaller ones were erected. All the rivets in the tanks were air-hammered, and the seams of the iron plates were caulked. “Modern sealing air tools” were used, according to contemporary sources describing these extensive works.
Héðinn has erected meal silos all around Iceland — in Fáskrúðsfjörður, Eskifjörður, Norðfjörður, Seyðisfjörður, and Akranes — in addition to numerous silos in Norway.
Oil Tank at Skagaströnd. These photos were taken at Skagaströnd in 1947 and show a newly built oil tank along with the workers’ camp, where Héðinn’s employees at the time lived in tents, as was common practice. The photo on the right shows Héðinn’s workers lining up on the steps of the oil tank after the job was completed. Photos: Author unknown / Héðinn
Oil Tank at Skagaströnd. These photos were taken at Skagaströnd in 1947 and show a newly built oil tank along with the workers’ camp, where Héðinn’s employees at the time lived in tents, as was common practice. The photo on the right shows Héðinn’s workers lining up on the steps of the oil tank after the job was completed. Photos: Author unknown / Héðinn
mpressive Structures From tank construction at Laugarnes in the 1950s. These are massive structures and time-consuming to build. Although the nature of these constructions has changed little, the technology used in their building has undergone various developments over the years. In these photos one can see, among other things, Héðinn’s homemade working methods, along with the atmosphere that has long accompanied such projects. Some are among the largest ever undertaken by the company. Photos: Author unknown / Héðinn
mpressive Structures From tank construction at Laugarnes in the 1950s. These are massive structures and time-consuming to build. Although the nature of these constructions has changed little, the technology used in their building has undergone various developments over the years. In these photos one can see, among other things, Héðinn’s homemade working methods, along with the atmosphere that has long accompanied such projects. Some are among the largest ever undertaken by the company. Photos: Author unknown / Héðinn
From A to Z In 1996, a complete reconstruction was undertaken of the fishmeal factory of Haraldur Böðvarsson in Akranes and Faxamjöl (Grandi) in Reykjavík. Héðinn handled both projects, from initial design through commissioning and testing. These photos give an idea of the development of the Akranes factory over the years. Photo: Guðmundur S. Sveinsson / Héðinn
Tanks at Home and Abroad Major projects in the construction of meal silos around the year 2000. Héðinn built meal silos in Fáskrúðsfjörður, Eskifjörður, Norðfjörður, Seyðisfjörður, and Akranes, as well as numerous silos in Norway. Photo: Guðmundur S. Sveinsson / Héðinn
Tanks at Home and Abroad Major projects in the construction of meal silos around the year 2000. Héðinn built meal silos in Fáskrúðsfjörður, Eskifjörður, Norðfjörður, Seyðisfjörður, and Akranes, as well as numerous silos in Norway. Photo: Guðmundur S. Sveinsson / Héðinn
n 2008, an agreement was made with HB Grandi to relocate the company’s fishmeal factory, which had stood in Örfirisey, to Vopnafjörður. The photo shows the factory’s tanks being launched in Reykjavík harbor in 2009 before being towed eastward along the coast. Some considered this undertaking outrageous and entirely ill-advised. Experienced captains contacted Héðinn’s management to strongly warn them against attempting to tow these towering structures halfway around the country. They foresaw nothing but disaster and predicted the whole assembly would topple before it even cleared the harbor mouth. Those predictions did not come true, however, and the tanks reached their destination intact. Héðinn’s development manager, Gunnar Pálsson, was in close and constant consultation with meteorologist Einar Sveinbjörnsson ahead of the transport. Einar carried out detailed studies to determine when the journey should begin and whether to take the southern or northern route. He also produced wave forecasts and became something of a godfather figure to Héðinn in the final decision of when to set sail.
Tanks Launched Photo: Ólafur Hauksson / Héðinn
Norwegian Connections In the summer of 2022, the Norwegian company Pelagia AS commissioned Héðinn to oversee the dismantling of meal silos in Grønehaugen, near Egersund on Norway’s southwest coast, and their transport on a floating barge across the fjord to Ryttervik. There, they are to be converted into fish oil tanks. Each silo weighs 80 tons, stands 30 meters high, and has a diameter of 7.6 meters. The photo shows the work of dismantling the silos and preparing them for transport across the fjord. Photo: Live Spurkland / Héðinn
In the photo are Gunnar Magnússon on the left and Sigurður Ingimundarson, Héðinn’s Rolls-Royce engine specialists at the time, working on an overhaul of a trawler’s gearbox. Projects of this kind have played a major role in Héðinn’s 100-year history. Photo: Ólafur Hauksson / Héðinn
Hydropower and Mechanical Work Here we see an overhaul of a hydro turbine at Búrfell Power Station in Steingrímsstöð. Among those present is Guðfinnur Kristmannsson, marked with Héðinn on his back, who at the time was foreman in the company’s mechanical division. Photo: Hreinn Hreinsson / Héðinn
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