Aeolus Progressing to 2.0 Version, Old Crane Now Taken Off

Although the yard cannot confirm a name change, Aeolus 2.0 is certainly busy downloading a hardware package for an upgrade at the Damen Shiprepair yard in Schiedam, the Offshore WIND team who visited the vessel in Schiedam reports. 

Apart from the new 1,600-tonne main crane to be installed later, Damen will install a new accommodation unit providing accommodation for an extra 25 persons, a strengthened main deck raised about 1m above the existing main deck, and sponsons placed for most of the length of each side of the vessel adding an extra 3m to the breadth of the main deck.

The old 900t crane has been removed and the new larger support for the base of the crane around the port aft leg is currently being fitted.Both sides of the vessel have been stripped of paint coating in preparation for the sponson welding work, and the new main deck sections, constructed at other Damen sites and shipped to Schiedam on the inland water way, are lying alongside of dry-dock number 8 in the Damen yard.

The new crane housing A frame and boom is being constructed by Huisman Engineering in the neighbouring fabrication facility and it will be here, after completion of work in dry dock, that Huisman will install and commission the new 1,600t crane, making it the heaviest lift WTIV in the offshore wind sector.

Although work is scheduled for early 2018 for the vessel, no exact date for the upgrade completion is available. According to the announcement of the contract between Damen and Van Oord from March of this year, the upgraded vessel will be operational in spring 2018.

Reporting: Dick Hill, Offshore WIND Staff; Photos: Jeroen Tresfon, Navingo