On 8 May 2015, Boskalis subsidiary Dockwise loaded the first ship-shaped FPSO onto the largest semi-submersible heavy transport vessel of the world. Coming Friday at 16:30 hrs local time, the Armada Intrepid Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) will be loaded onto the Dockwise Vanguard in the Caland canal, Port of Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The loading operation is expected to last 3 to 4 hours, starting when the Armada Intrepid is brought into position and ending when the Dockwise Vanguard is deballasted and refloated, the company said in its press release.
The Armada Intrepid FPSO weighs approximately 60,000 tonnes (42,000 tonnes plus ballast) making it one of the heaviest cargos ever transported. With a length of 245 meters, the cargo will be the longest transported on the Vanguard to date. Additional expertise from within the Boskalis group is being deployed on this project, including support from SMIT Towage Northwest Europe during the arrival of the Vanguard and during the loading operation.
"Transporting this ship-shaped FPSO on board of the Dockwise Vanguard demonstrates there this is a better, faster, more safe and efficient solution to transport FPSOs from one side of the world to another, be it for refitting or new builds," says Hans Leerdam, Category Manager Strategic Vessels at the Offshore Energy division of Boskalis.
Besides various exploration and production rigs, the Dockwise Vanguard recently successfully delivered the ENI Goliat FPSO.
Dockwise Vanguard
The Dockwise Vanguard is a unique vessel capable of transporting extremely large assets. As the world's largest semi-submersible heavy-lift carrier, she offers an unprecedented capability for transporting fully-integrated offshore structures and units, including FPSOs. The Dockwise Vanguard has a load capacity in excess of 110,000 tonnes, accommodated on an open-end, free deck space of 275m x 70m. The absence of a raised bow and conventional forward superstructure means that cargo overhang, either forward or aft, is possible. The vessel entered service in February 2013.
Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. is a leading global services provider operating in the dredging, maritime infrastructure and maritime services sectors. The company provides creative and innovative all-round solutions to infrastructural challenges in the maritime, coastal and delta regions of the world with services including the construction and maintenance of ports and waterways, land reclamation, coastal defense and riverbank protection. In addition, Boskalis offers a wide variety of marine services and contracting for the offshore energy sector including subsea, heavy transport, lifting and installation (through Boskalis, Dockwise and Fairmount) and towage and salvage (through SMIT). Furthermore, Boskalis has a number of strategic partnerships in harbor towage and terminal services (Keppel Smit Towage, SAAM SMIT Towage and Smit Lamnalco). With a versatile fleet of 1,000 units Boskalis operates in around 75 countries across six continents. Excluding its share in partnerships, Boskalis has approximately 8,500 employees.