Chinese shipbuilder CIMC Raffles, a subsidiary of CIMC Group, has successfully delivered ‘Boreas’, said to be the world’s largest and latest generation offshore wind installation vessel, to Van Oord.
Boreas is 176m long, with deck area over 7000m2, and accommodation for 135 persons onboard. The main crane lifting capacity reaches more than 3,000 tons, and is to be equipped with four triangular legs. The maximum working water depth is up to 80m, and maximum jacking capacity is up to 55,000t. The vessel is capable of lifting 25MW wind turbines.
To meet future environmental and emissions requirements, Boreas is equipped with methanol storage tanks and five methanol dual-fuel main engines, which can reduce the carbon footprint of the ship by more than 78%. It includes a battery system that is able to fully cover the functions of one main engine. In addition, the vessel is equipped with selective catalytic reduction to minimise NOx emissions, improving energy efficiency and reducing operational fuel consumption.
The ship is described as the most automated wind power installation ship so far. After delivery, the project will be deployed at an offshore wind project in Northern Europe, and is dedicated to the transport and installation of the next generation of offshore wind turbines and foundations.
Van Oord is a Dutch family-owned company with more than 155 years of experience as an international marine contractor, involved in dredging, infrastructure and offshore energy. Its head office is in Rotterdam. Van Oord’s fleet consists of about 60 vessels and a large amount of special-purpose and auxiliary equipment.
Currently, the global wind power industry is experiencing rapid growth. CIMC Raffles, as a provider of offshore engineering equipment in China, has been deeply involved in the offshore wind power field for several years, in offshore wind power equipment manufacturing, wind farm resource development, transportation and installation, operation and maintenance services.
Image: Van Oord large wind turbine installation vessel ‘Boreas’ (source: CIMC Raffles)
