OOS International Ups Semi-Submersible Crane Vessel Game

American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has granted an Approval in Principle (AIP) to the design of  OOS Zeelandia, a new semi-submersible crane vessel (SSCV) that, when built, will have the largest lifting capacity in the world, OOS International B.V. said.

China Merchants Offshore Technology Research Center (CM-OTRC), the R&D center for China Merchants Industry Holdings (CMI) of Shenzhen, China, completed the basic design of the OOS Zeelandia in cooperation with OOS International.

With a total lifting capacity of up to 25,000 metric tons (mt) using two fully-revolving cranes of 12,500mt each, and with a clear deck space of over 11,000m2, OOS Zeelandia is designed to lift and transport a large offshore structure on its own main deck, either for installation offshore in one lift, or for decommissioning in one piece and transporting back to shore for re-use/upgrade or dismantling and disposal, OOS International said.

Besides offshore structures installation or decommissioning in the oil and gas sector, the vessel will also be capable of serving several other markets, most important among them being subsea installation, offshore wind turbine installation, and pipe laying.

OOS Zeelandia will be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and fitted with a closed bus DP3 system, aided by high redundancy azimuth and tunnel thrusters. It is designed to travel at a normal economical speed of 12 knots and at a maximum speed of up to 15 knots.

The vessel will have a winterized main deck and will carry ABS ice class A0 notation, making it possible to operate in a first-year arctic ice environment. In addition, it will offer an accommodation capacity for up to 492 crew and personnel in single and double cabins.

CMHI is currently building two smaller vessels of similar design, named OOS Serooskerke and OOS Walcheren,  with smaller cranes of 2 x 2,200mt each, in its Haimen, Jiangsu yard.