Van Oord is upgrading its heavy-lift installation vessel Svanen to handle next-generation monopile foundations for offshore wind developments.
The gantry crane will be extended by 25 m. Holland Shipyards will fabricate the 1,200-metric ton extension section, which will be installed using a 200-m high Mammoet crane.
Other modifications will include upgrades of the lifting hooks to raise Svanen’s lifting capacity from 3,000 mt to 4,500 mt, the gripper to handle increased loads, and the vessel’s structure to support the latest hammer size.
Work will take place mainly in the Rotterdam area, with the vessel set to be operational next summer.
Its first project following the upgrades will be the foundations for the 15-MW turbines for the Baltic Power wind farm in the Baltic Sea. Svanen previously supported the Kriegers Flak, Baltic 2, Arkona and Baltic Eagle in this region.
Originally the vessel was designed for the construction of bridges, later modified for the installation of monopiles and transition pieces. To date, it has installed more than 700 monopiles and 223 transition pieces with increasing dimensions and weight.
Source: Offshore Mag
