Ulstein designed an innovative heavy installation crane vessel

Ulstein designed an innovative heavy installation crane vessel
Photo: Ulstein

OHT’s new heavy installation crane vessel Alfa Lift, designed by Ulstein Design & Solutions BV and currently under construction at China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI) in China, has reached its second significant build milestone with the laying of the keel.

For the first time the fabricated blocks have come together for assembly in the dry dock and the vessel will start to take shape, weeks ahead of schedule. This is the next significant step in bringing Alfa Lift to the market, following the steel cutting ceremony that took place on 1 March this year.

This milestone was marked with a keel laying ceremony on 25 September. OHT’s CEO Torgeir Ramstad commended the hardworking people at CMHI and key suppliers, having made great progress since the first milestone in March.

Mr. Ramstad said:

‘We have worked together with the shipyard in an open and cooperative way to ensure the utmost quality of construction. Because OHT places a high degree of importance on quality. According to our customers our vessel will be ground-breaking and will serve the growing offshore wind market for decades to come. The word "growing" is perhaps not precise enough to describe what is happening in the offshore wind market’.

The Alfa Lift vessel of Ulstein design will be the largest and most innovative, custom-built offshore wind foundation installation vessel in the world. The vessel is due to be delivered early 2021. The next major milestone will be the launching ceremony which is planned for March 2020.