Van Oord’s Svanen Soars with Massive Gantry Extension Upgrade

May 3, 2024, by Adnan Memija

Van Oord has fitted a huge A-framed gantry extension, weighing 1,200 tonnes, to the top of its heavy-lift installation vessel Svanen, increasing the total height of the ship to 125 metres.

The extension had been constructed by Holland Shipyard. One of the largest cranes in the world was used for the installation at Mammoet Schiedam.

Besides the gantry extension, the upgrade includes a modernisation of the lifting hooks that will increase the lifting capacity of the vessel from 3,000 tonnes to 4,500 tonnes, an improvement of the gripper to handle increased loads, and a modification of the structure of the vessel to accommodate the latest hammer size.

‘We are immensely proud to have constructed one of the largest steel structures in our history for the extension of Van Oord’s Svanen, including the provision of new accommodation units. This project required not only exceptional precision in engineering but also presented us with significant logistical challenges,” said Marco Hoogendoor, Commercial Director at Holland Shipyards.

Due to the worldwide demand for renewable energy, wind farm technology is progressing swiftly, with turbines continually increasing in size. This major upgrade prepares the Svanen to handle the next generation of monopile foundations for offshore wind projects.

The vessel will be ready for operation in the third quarter of 2024 with the first project being the Baltic Power offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea. This wind farm will feature a new generation of wind turbines, with a generating capacity of 15 MW.

“Originally deployed for bridge construction, the vessel has been contributing to offshore wind construction since the start of the energy transition. Following a significant upgrade in 2017, it is now undergoing further enhancements to continue installing many more foundations for offshore wind farms in the years ahead,” said Maarten Loman, Project Manager of Svanen modification at Van Oord.