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Kongsberg to equip revolutionary heavy lift vessel

Written by Nick Blenkey
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Vessel combines heavu lift and semisubnersible capabilities

SEPTEMBER 25, 2018 — Kongsberg Maritime has won a $13 million contract to equip a new heavy lift crane vessel for Norway’s Offshore Heavy Transport (OHT).

The vessel, a customized Ulstein Design & Solutions BV design, marks OHT’s entry into the offshore renewables and installation market. Currently under construction by shipbuilder China Merchants Heavy Industries and is scheduled to enter service in 2021. OHT has options with the shipyard for a further three vessels.

The revolutionary 216.3 m, 48,000 dwt vessel has been designed with a submersible main deck and a 3,000 t lift capacity main crane to expedite heavy-lift crane operations for heavy substructures supporting offshore wind turbines.

Future-proofed in anticipation of the construction of the largest predicted wind turbine generators, the vessel will be capable of transporting and installing up to ten 1,500 t ultra-large jacket foundations or eleven 2,000 t XXL monopiles, plus transition pieces.

With a large, open deck of more than 10,000 sq.m, the vessel is also ideally suited for subsea installations – oil pipelines, satellite wells, as well as decommissioning.

Kongsberg’s integrated technology solution will be integral to the vessel’s operational effectiveness. The suite will include dynamic positioning, navigation, thruster control and automation systems, all enhanced by inbuilt measures to improve functionality and safety.

The delivery will be augmented by an electrical package including battery hybrid power and energy management systems, which will yield a sharp reduction in fuel oil consumption, tdriving down the vessel’s CO2 and NOx emissions.

“The heavy lift market has always presented a series of very specific challenges,” said Torgeir E. Ramstad, CEO of OHT, “but combining heavy lift crane capacity to a semi-submersible vessel genuinely represents a bold step into the offshore working environment of tomorrow. In working with Ulstein to design an innovative transport and installation vessel everyone has had to pull out all the stops, including defining the most efficient marine technology and Kongsberg Maritime has demonstrated that they are in the fore-front of delivering a state-of-the-art, integrated solution to meet our needs.”

“The fact that China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI) selected our solution to enable OHT’s expansion into the offshore renewables and installation market is a valued endorsement of our approach to the integration of operational and digital technology. We are looking forward to seeing this sophisticated vessel in operation and delivering continued support to ensure that OHT can maximise the potential of the KONGSBERG systems on board,” said Bård Bjørløw, EVP Sales & Marketing, Kongsberg Maritime.

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