A major step was taken in the modification of Van Oord’s offshore installation vessel Aeolus, the company said in its press release.
The new 1,600 tonnes crane was successfully installed onboard, making the vessel ready to handle the latest generation of foundations and turbines for offshore wind projects. The crane, designed and built by Huisman, was installed by Heerema’s Thialf.
The leg encircling crane is built around the portside aft jack-up leg and the boom is stored around the forward leg, saving valuable deck space. The new crane can lift almost twice as much as the Aeolus’ previous crane. The modification of the top-class vessel will also result in increased loading capacity, accommodation capacity and a helicopter deck. Van Oord decided to upgrade the Aeolus to ensure that the vessel remains competitive in a rapidly changing market. The Aeolus will be fit for duty as from spring 2018.