Gulliver, a heavy lift vessel currently under construction for the Antwerp-based Scaldis Salvage & Marine Contractors, was launched in China, on 5 September.
In the coming months, further outfitting of the vessel will be carried out at the Qidong shipyard, Scaldis said.
Afterwards Gulliver will sail from Qidong to the Huisman yard in Xiamen for the installation of the two cranes, each capable of carrying 2,000 tonnes.
Gulliver, formerly known as RAMBIZ 4000 due to its lifting capacity, is expected to arrive in Europe the second quarter of 2017.
The vessel was ordered to further support and expand Scaldis’ services, including the installation of offshore infrastructures and decommissioning-deconstruction activities for the oil and gas industry, as well as the installation of offshore wind farms.
The vessel and the cranes are an integrated design which allows the maximum load to be hoisted in wave heights of up to 1.5 metres. In these circumstances, the freeboard is not less than 3 metres anywhere on the vessel. In standby or transport modes, significant wave height can be as much as 7 metres. The maximum load can be lifted in water depths of around 5 metres.
The four azimuth thrusters and the DP 2 system allow installation work to be conducted in deeper water without the use of anchors. The crane ship is also equipped with 4 main working anchors and winches and 4 secondary devices.
The vessel will be equipped with a so-called ‘moonpool’ for the purposes of operating a separate ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) for inspecting and supervising installation work on the seabed.
Gulliver will also come equipped with a helipad and room to accommodate 78 people.