General – Heavy Lift
In just a night, Van Oord’s heavy lift installation vessel Svanen grew 25 metres taller.
As part of a major upgrade, a huge A-framed gantry extension, weighing 1,200 tonnes, has been installed on top of the vessel. The operation increased the total height of the Svanen to 125 metres, making it one of the largest heavy-lift vessels in the world.
The extension had been constructed by Holland Shipyard.
Besides the gantry extension, the upgrade includes a modernisation of the lifting hooks that will increase the lifting capacity of the vessel from 3,000 tonnes to 4,500 tonnes, an improvement of the gripper to handle increased loads and a modification of the structure of the vessel to accommodate the latest hammer size.
The improved Svanen will be ready for operation in the third quarter of 2024.
Due to the worldwide demand for renewable energy, wind farm technology is progressing swiftly, with turbines continually increasing in size. This major upgrade is preparing the Svanen to handle the next generation of monopile foundations for offshore wind projects.
