Subsea 7’s just lately delivered Seaway Alfa Lift offshore wind basis set up vessel is in transit to Europe and is anticipated to hitch Subsea 7’s fleet within the third quarter of 2023.
The semi-submersible heavy set up vessel, designed by Ulstein, will probably be used to put in the next-generation XXL offshore wind foundations.
The newbuild heavy raise crane vessel Seaway Alfa Lift (CMHI-207), was initially ordered in 2018 by OHT on hypothesis. OHT ultimately turned a part of Subsea 7’s Seaway 7 department.
The vessel itself was floated out from drydock on the China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI) shipyard in Jiangsu, China in February 2021, and had been scheduled for supply throughout the identical 12 months, and for debut within the UK offshore wind sector in 2022, putting in wind turbine foundations on the Dogger Bank wind farm.
However, an October 2021 crane incident delayed the supply, and Subsea 7 then stated that the Seaway Strashnov vessel can be deployed on what was alleged to be Alfa Lift’s venture for a full 2023 campaign.
The vessel earlier this month left China following its supply from China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI).
According to data shared by Ulstein, the mission tools for monopile dealing with stays the important path to the vessel being operational for basis monopile set up. 
Credit: OHT (File picture)
“The main elements of this equipment commenced transport from China at the end of 2022. Seaway Alfa Lift will head to Europe, where the mission equipment will be completed and commissioned,” Ulstein stated.
The semi-submersible vessel options a big, 3,000 mt lifting capability primary crane, and may carry out heavy raise crane operations with the primary deck submerged.
The vessel will have the ability to transport and set up as much as 10 x 1,500t ultra-large jacket foundations or 11 x 2,000t XXL monopiles plus transition items for the most important anticipated wind turbine mills.
The vessel’s crane has a most lifting capability of three,000 tonnes at 30 meters and 1,000 tonnes at 76 meters outreach. The 216.3-meter vessel can even have a ten,000+ m² “smart deck” that may carry as much as 14 big monopiles per journey and will probably be totally submersible to a depth of 14.66 meters.
In an announcement on Wednesday, Subsea 7 stated: “Seaway Alfa Lift is currently in transit to Europe and will join the fleet in Q3 2023.
AIS data from VesselFinder shows that the vessel had made a port call in Sri Lanka, and departed on July 22. Its next stop is Port of As Suways / Suez Port in Egypt, where it is expected to arrive on August 7
Subsea 7 also shared what the Seaway’s Alfa Lift would be, once it reaches the Dogger Bank site: “The vessel is deliberate to be deployed on transition piece set up on Dogger Bank A & B and C from 2023 to 2025, whereas monopile set up will proceed all through the interval with Seaway Strashnov.
“This revised plan is being developed with our client and, although subject to final approvals, provides confidence in our financial estimates for the project. The construction of Seaway Ventus, a heavy-duty jack-up suitable for turbine and monopile installation, remains on track.
Dogger Bank
The Dogger Bank offshore wind farm in the UK is being developed in three phases by Equinor, SSE and Vårgrønn, and will, once fully developed be the world’s largest offshore wind farm with a capacity of 3.6GW.
Equinor said Wednesday that the primary turbine parts have been being loaded for set up at Dogger Bank venture, with first energy anticipated throughout summer time. Full business manufacturing for Dogger Bank A is anticipated within the third quarter of 2024, and the entire venture is anticipated to be accomplished in 2026.
