Jiangsu Fanzhou Shipping's newest heavy lift vessel sails on maiden operational voyage

A new semi-submersible heavy lift vessel (HLV) recently delivered to Chinese shipowner Jiangsu Fanzhou Shipping has sailed on its maiden operational voyage, transporting ten wind turbine foundation monopiles to the Netherlands.

The 256- by 51-metre Fanzhou 8 was built by Taizhou Zhonghang Shipyard in compliance with China Classification Society rules as well as EU and Hong Kong Convention requirements.

The vessel's large open deck has a total area of 11,700 square metres and can transport up to 58,000 tonnes of cargo such as offshore wind turbine components, offshore oil and gas platform components, and nuclear power generation equipment.

The propulsion arrangement includes two 8,340kW main engines and two bow thrusters. Sea trials showed that the main engines can deliver a top speed in excess of 15 knots.

The vessel is also capable of autonomous navigation and operating in areas with mild to moderate surface ice, making it ideal for deployment in polar regions. A range of 16,000 nautical miles will permit use on global routes.