A twin-hull behemoth, a giant, the world’s largest vessel, largest catamaran, biggest offshore vessel, the world’s largest crane ship. This is how it has been described. It is the ‘Pieter Schelte’, and it is now on its way to Rotterdam, the Netherlands, sailing from South Korea, where it was recently delivered.

The 382 m long and 124 m wide multi-purpose vessel, owned by the Swiss-based company Allseas, will be used for both lifting and installation of oil platforms and jackets. The vessel is also able to lay pipelines. The massive heavy lifter will be able to lift topsides weighing up to a maximum of 48,000 tonnes.