Alfa Lift’s 3,000 ton heavy lift crane installed

The construction of Offshore Heavy Transport’s (OHT) new heavy-lift vessel Alfa Lift has recently reached a new milestone with the installation of the Liebherr main crane. Currently under construction at China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI) shipyard in Jiangsu, China, the Alfa Lift is designed and built for installing the next generation XXL offshore wind foundations.

The specialist vessel, which is designed to install the next generation of offshore wind foundations, was launched in February. BigLift’s heavy transport tandem, the BigLift Barentsz and BigLift Baffin delivered the components for the main crane, including the A-frame, the slewing column with auxiliary items and the 796 mt boom earlier this year as well.

The vessel has been awarded the contract to install the wind turbine foundations for the world’s largest offshore wind farm Dogger Bank A & B, for which installation of the monopile cradles on deck has commenced.

Further, Alfa Lift will be the world’s first monohull vessel able to perform heavy lift crane operations with her main deck submerged in offshore conditions. Alfa Lift is featuring an open deck and a 3000 mt heavy lift crane and will be delivered early next year.