PRESS RELEASE – Offshore Heavy Transport’s (OHT) new heavy-lift vessel Alfa Lift has been launched at the China Merchants Heavy Industry shipyard in Jiangsu. The preparations to install the vessel’s 3,000-tonne main crane are now in full swing.

The specialist vessel, which is designed to install the next generation of offshore wind foundations, was launched on Sunday 28th February. The vessel will now be moored whilst work continues on the steel and internal fit-out, including the mechanical completion of systems.

Meanwhile, key elements of Alfa Lift’s major crane components have been completed in Rostock, Germany. The heavy-lift crane’s slewing column and the A-frame are scheduled to leave Rostock in early March and will arrive in China in April where they will be installed.

Milestone

“The vessel construction has progressed well despite these challenging times”, comments Bjarne Birkeland, head of vessel management for OHT. “We are also grateful for seeing the quality Liebherr 3,000-tonne heavy-lift crane components being shipped from Liebherr’s facilities and look forward to seeing the crane installed on the vessel’.

CEO Torgeir Ramstad of OHT added that this is an important milestone that brings Alfa Lift one step closer to entering service. “We have no doubt that Alfa Lift will be a very busy vessel for many years to come”, he says.

Alfa Lift is on schedule for delivery at the end of this year or early 2022.