Melting polar icecaps have actually enabled the Hansa Heavy Lift vessel HHL Valparaiso to effectively deliver 2 ship-to-shore cranes by means of the Northern Sea Route.

The 2 cranes, considering 820 statistics tonnes each as well as gauging regarding 61 meters high, were packed aboard the HHL Valparaiso in St Petersburg, Russia last October prior to making the trip with the Northern Sea Route to the port ofVostochny Due to the setup the cranes needed to be delivered partly over as well as listed below deck.

Hansa claims not just does the trip stand for the initial STS cranes to take a trip with the NSR, the HHL Valparaiso is likewise the currently the initial vessel to cruise open hatch with the path, which is covered by ice for most of the year as well as just accessible for regarding 2 months out of the year.

“The Northern Sea Route was the only viable option to complete this voyage in the required timeframe,” stated Gleb Faldin, Commercial Manager atHansa Heavy Lift “In the Arctic there is no room for mistakes. During the passage, the vessel has limited connection and only a few points of shelter.”

“It is important to understand the legal framework to navigate the NSR, to plan carefully, to be prepared for the unexpected, and most importantly to have the right team on board the vessel and in the office,” Faldin included.

Faldin stated a two-month hold-up in the freight preparing suggested the HHL Valparaiso needed to be rearranged for the trip, which which was initially prepared for HHLTokyo Before packing the freight in St Pertersburg, the Valparaiso needed to take a trip from Qingdao, China, by means of theNorthern Sea Route The freight needed to be provided to its location by late November prior to the path entirely iced up over.

“The Northern Sea Route is an important alternative that can save weeks from a voyage, but to be successful you need careful planning and engineering, the right equipment, capable vessels, and experienced crews,” stated Heinrich Nagrelli, Project & & Transport Engineer at HHL.

“Due to the STS’s really high center of gravity (GEAR) at 30 metres over deck as well as 70 metres air draft, along with draft limitation of 7.7 metres, a cautious as well as thorough strategy was required from the beginning.

“This included a load spreading design and a structural analysis of the hatch covers and lower hold, a lifting stability assessment, a lifting simulation, fulfilment of Flag State requirements (open hatch, visibility, arctic weather conditions, COLREGs*), and the approval of the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping, as well as the arranging of ice breaker assistance,” stated Nagrelli.

HHL Valparaiso holds Ice Class E3, equal to Russian Arc.4 (Finnish- Swedish Ice Class 1A).