Leg-encircling super-crane will be tallest in market

Fred. Olsen Windcarrier is upgrading one of its jack-up vessels with this new Huisman crane, capable of installing foundations and all known next generation offshore wind turbines. With its upgraded crane, the vessel will be capable of installing larger foundations and handling all known next generation turbines. Upon delivery in 2022, the unique 1,600mt Leg Encircling Crane will be the tallest in the market.

The crane has a unique Lambda boom design, allowing extension of the boom, resulting in high flexibility. With a 105m boom the crane will handle 1600mt at a 32m outreach.

A small tail swing will allow for optimised utilisation of free deck space, and the crane features a fully electrically driven system, which Huisman says will result in reduced maintenance and higher reliability.

Alexandra Koefoed, Managing Director, Fred. Olsen Windcarrier said: “This unique crane has been enhanced with key updates and an even more extreme boom. The enhanced outreach capacity of this crane upgrade allows us to stow the wind turbine components in a more flexible way despite the increased crane weight, thus maintaining or exceeding the payload we carry for our clients. The Leg Encircling Crane also saves deck space. This is a considerable lifetime extension for the vessel, as the weight and dimensions of wind turbine components continues to increase.”

By Jake Frith