A serious accident has occurred yesterday on board of offshore installation vessel ‘Orion 1’ at the occasion of and during crane load tests.
(picture Liebherr)
The vessel is under construction and owned by Cosco (Qidong) Offshore. The vessel is moored at the quayside at the Liebherr construction yard in Rostock, with the crane undergoing several load tests. The vessel is expected for delivery to DEME NV in the second half of May 2020.
Most probably the crane collapsed after the hoist block broke.
Reportedly, five persons were injured, with two requiring hospital treatment, according to local police.
The crane has suffered significant damage, while damage to the crane and the vessel will be investigated in the upcoming days and weeks.
DEME Offshore has launched an investigation and says significant damage has been caused to the crane.
It is understood a rope broke during a heavy load test and the upper half of the crane tipped over hitting the ship and the quay wall, added police.
Liebherr supplied the ship’s crane and said in March that the unit, which features a 145-metre boom, is the largest ever built by the company.
Local radio station NDR 1 carried footage of the incident online.