A new large crane vessel owned by Chinese company Huaxia Financial Leasing departed the Port of Nantong earlier this week to work on its inaugural project following delivery.
Built by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries (ZPMC), Huaxia Kunpeng 01 is the first in a series of two crane vessels designed and built in compliance with China Classification Society rules including those that cover unlimited navigation areas.
A main double-hook, heavy-duty deck crane mounted at the stern can rotate 360 degrees and has a maximum lifting capacity of 5,000 tonnes, making the vessel suitable for the transport and installation of large-capacity offshore wind turbines.
It also boasts one of the tallest lifting heights among Chinese-built crane vessels currently in operation, in addition to being one of the few fully rotating double-hook cranes of such large lifting capacity ever to be fitted on a seagoing platform.
The vessel has improved navigation performance, which means it does not need to rely on tugs and barges for manoeuvring and positioning, while a greater deck load allows for the transport of up to 8,000 tonnes of assorted cargo.
As part of the vessel’s regular operating profile, the deck will be used to transport multiple offshore wind turbine sets simultaneously.
Huaxia Kunpeng 01's significant lifting capacity also makes it suitable for other applications such as construction of cross-strait steel bridges, installation of offshore oil and gas platform modules, and even salvage of large sunken vessels.