Offshore wind vessel Alfa Lift

JIANGSU, CHINA

21.10.2021

Project

Offshore wind vessel Alfa Lift

Equipment

Liebherr HLC 150000

Key Learnings

A 3,000-tonne crane being installed aboard the new offshore wind vessel Alfa Lift was involved in a serious incident last week that may delay the vessel’s planned commissioning date. Details are minimal, but it seems to be associated with the crane’s folding A-frame.

Proposed final custom-built offshore wind vessel which has now being paused due to the incident. Image sourced from: www.seaway7.com/vessels/seaway-alfa-lift/

Repairs to the 3000-tonne Liebherr crane are expected to be complete during the second half of the year (taken 16.3.2022). Image sourced from: renews.biz/76407/seaway-7-alfa-lift-not-operational-in-2022/

Offshore wind installation specialist Seaway 7 ordered the semi-submersible heavy lift crane vessel for installing offshore wind tower foundations and transition pieces. The crane, a Liebherr HLC 150000, can handle 3,000 tonnes at a 30 metres radius or 1,000 tonnes at 76 metres. It was built and tested at the manufacturer’s maritime plant in Rostock, Germany, then shipped to China, where China Merchants Heavy Industry is building the vessel and where the ‘incident’ took place.

The crane is unusual in that it features a foldable A-frame, which reduces the height of the crane and vessel to pass under bridges, such as the Great Belt bridge in Denmark, between the North Sea and the Baltic. The 51,000-tonne vessel has a 148-metre long/10,000square metre smart deck, which can transport up to 10 XL monopiles or eight jackets at one time. It has accommodation on board for 100 people.

Seaway 7, part of the Subway 7 group, was recently merged with OHT ASA to become ‘Seaway 7 ASA’. The company said: “We have been informed of an incident involving the folding A-frame on the main crane of Alfa Lift, currently under construction in China. No personnel have been injured, and the unplanned movement of the folding A-frame is currently being investigated. The incident is a matter between the shipyard and crane vendor, and it is too early to indicate if this will have an impact on the delivery schedule of the vessel.”

When planning for these large scale builds offshore, it’s important to factor in weather delays and breakdowns as well as developing a realistic timeline with a solid contingency plan.

The crane is contracted to install new turbines for the Dogger Bank offshore wind farm next year, with is expected to run through 2024.

A statement from Liebherr added: “We can confirm that during the installation of an offshore crane at a shipyard in Jiangsu (China), an incident with the crane’s A-frame occurred. Investigations into the exact circumstances and causes of the incident are currently underway. We can confirm that no one was injured. A team of Liebherr engineers is on site. Our colleagues are in close contact with all persons and support the investigation.”

Since the incident, Seaway 7 said that Seaway Alfa Lift was now expected to be delivered in the second half of 2023 and, due to this delivery delay, Seaway Strashnov would be deployed on the Dogger Bank Wind Farm project in the UK for a full 2023 campaign.

OUR THOUGHTS

Fortunately no one was injured however this incident has had a flow on effect. Many projects that were contracted based on the successful delivery of the Alfa Lift in 2022 have either being cancelled, pushed back or put on hold.

When planning for these large scale builds offshore, it’s important to factor in weather delays and breakdowns as well as developing a realistic timeline with a solid contingency plan.