Wagenborg Nedlift recently concluded a heavy-lift operation in IJmuiden, loading the Amasus’ vessel O.T. Ideaal with Wärtsilä thrusters. 

The operation is part of a maintenance project Wärtsilä and Heerema Marine Contractors carried out at Bremans Offshore workshop in IJmuiden. During the past ten months Bremans provided services and made its location and its cranes available for the heavy-lift job which entailed maintenance work on ten thrusters for Heerema’s LNG-fueled semi-submersible crane vessel, Sleipnir.

Last week, Wagenborg loaded the last two 90-ton thrusters for transport to Heerema’s Vlissingen yard. Logistics was arranged by Oudkerk B.V. O.T. Ideaal discharged the pair of thrusters the next day at Vlissingen.

Sleipnir is equipped with two cranes of 10,000 metric tons lifting capacity each. It has the ability to run on emission-reducing LNG and features a reinforced deck area of 220 metres in length and 102 metres in width.

Wärtsilä developed specifically for this project four 5500 kW forward retractable WST-65RU thrusters that are the world’s largest retractable thrusters ever made. They feature a unique combination of retractable and underwater mountable functionality. The thrusters installed at the aft of the vessel are 5500 kW Wärtsilä WST-65U underwater mountable steerable thrusters.

The underwater demounting capability of all eight thrusters means that neither dry docking, nor the use of a habitat is necessary should the thrusters need to be exchanged.