Zentech to convert derrick barge for wind farm work

Houston-headquartered marine engineering and naval architecture consulting firm Zentech, Inc. has acquired the former Derrick Barge 23 from Bohen Crane and Equipment Repair LLC and renamed it ZEE RIG 3. 

“We intend to upgrade the vessel in two phases, first for use as a crane barge with increased lifting capacity, and later as a much larger self-propelled jackup vessel for wind farm installation service,” said Zentech President Ramesh Maini.  The vessel is being prepared for conversion work at a Gulf Coast shipyard.

Currently, ZEE RIG 3 is 400 ft ong, 100 ft. wide and has a hull depth of 29 ft (121.9 m long, 30.5 m wide and 8.8 m hull depth).  It is outfitted with an AmClyde Model 52 marine crane that will be initially upgraded to 800 U.S. tons with a 275 ft boom length (725.6 t with an 83.8 m boom).  

Phase Two of the upgrade will transform ZEE RIG 3 into a much larger DP-II self-propelled jack-up, with the width increasing from 100 ft to 176 ft (30.5 m to 53.6 m. It will be and capable of operating in 200 ft (61 m) water depth.  The main crane will be uprated to 1,100 U.S. tons (997.7 t), and  quarters accommodations will be added above-deck .  This conversion will be completed in the fourth quarter of 2012.

October 17, 2011