General – Upgrade
Van Oord’s heavy-lift installation vessel Svanen will get a major upgrade.
Among other improvements, the gantry crane will be extended by 25 metres, making the vessel ready to handle the next generation of monopile foundations for offshore wind projects.
The extension of the gantry crane, the most eye-catching upgrade, makes the Svanen one of the largest heavy-lift installation vessels worldwide. The extension, weighing 1200 tonnes, will be constructed by Holland Shipyards.
Besides the gantry extension, the upgrade programme includes an upgrade of the lifting hooks which will increase the lifting capacity of the vessel from 3000 tonnes to 4500 tonnes, an upgrade of the gripper to handle increased loads and an upgrade of the structure of the vessel to accommodate the latest hammer size.
The modifications will take place on several locations in the Netherlands, mainly in Rotterdam the area. The upgraded Svanen will be operational in the third quarter of 2024.
“Because of the global need for renewable energy, wind farm technology is rapidly advancing and turbines are getting larger. The upgrade of the Svanen prepares us for this increase in scale and allows us to maintain our leadership position in the offshore wind industry,” Arnoud Kuis, Managing Director Offshore Wind said.
The first project the upgraded Svanen will be deployed on is the Baltic Power offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea.
