On 27 March 2013, Van Oord held a ceremony commissioning crane vessel Titan and accommodation pontoon Astrachan. The honours were done by Mrs E. (Lily) de Wit – wife of Area Director F. (Freek) de Wit – and Mrs M. (Michele) Kamsteeg, wife of Area Manager M.C. (Ries) Kamsteeg.
The order to build Titan and Astrachan was awarded to Holland Shipyards in Hardinxveld Giessendam, the Netherlands in October 2012. Given the tight construction deadline, virtually all of the work was done in the Netherlands.
Titan consists of a new pontoon 60 metres long and 26 metres wide, and is equipped with spud poles and the e-crane Blockbuster, which was successfully deployed before on the Maasvlakte 2 project. What makes this crane exceptional is its long outreach – the distance between the grab and the centre of the machine – and its lift capacity of 40 tonnes. To reduce its width so that it can pass through locks, Titan has been fitted with side pontoons that can be dismantled. Titan’s name originates from Greek mythology and refers to a giant, incredibly powerful person.
The accommodation pontoon is 60 metres long and 15 metres wide and offers accommodation for 50 people. Astrachan’s name refers to the pontoon’s first destination. On 31 March 2013, Titan and Astrachan will be departing for the Russian part of the Caspian Sea to assist with the dredging work for a pipeline-laying project.
[mappress]
Van Oord, March 28, 2013