Van Oord’s Mega Jack-Up Boreas Launched in China

May 14, 2024, by Adnan Memija

Van Oord’s new offshore installation vessel Boreas has been launched at the Yantai CIMC Raffles Offshore shipyard in China.

Van Oord ordered a self-elevating offshore installation vessel at the Yantai CIMC Raffles shipyard in October 2021.

The first steel for Boreas was cut in July 2022 while the keel-laying ceremony was held at the end of that year.

After being launched at the shipyard in China on 14 May, works on the Boreas will continue with the installation of the main crane and the extension of the legs of the jack-up vessel. Meanwhile, the ship’s technical installation will be further commissioned after which sea trials will take place to test performance.

Commercial availability of the vessel is expected in 2025.

Boreas measures 175 metres in length and has a crane with a 155-metre-high boom, able to lift over 3,000 tonnes. Four giant legs, each measuring 126 metres, allow the vessel to be jacked up and work in waters up to 70 metres deep. This should allow the ship to install the next generation of 20 MW wind turbines at sea.

According to Van Oord, Boreas will be the first of its kind to be able to run on methanol, using Wärtsilä’s dedicated fuel supply system, MethanolPac.

In addition, the vessel will be equipped with an active emissions control technology (Selective Catalytic Reduction) to reduce the NOx emission to a minimum, said the Dutch company.

A battery pack of about 6,000 kWh can take peak loads and regenerate energy to reduce fuel consumption and corresponding emissions even further, Van Oord said.

The Dutch firm already revealed that the vessel will be deployed on several offshore wind projects, including the 760 MW Hollandse Kust West VI offshore wind farm in the Netherlands.