Armada Intrepid FPSO to be loaded onto Dockwise Vanguard transport vessel

Dockwise will on May 8, 2015 load the Armada Intrepid Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) onto the Dockwise Vanguard in the Caland canal, Port of Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

According to the press release, the loading operation is expected to last 3 to 4 hours, starting when the Armada Intrepid is brought into position and ending when the Dockwise Vanguard is deballasted and refloated.

The Armada Intrepid FPSO weighs approximately 60,000 tonnes (42,000 tonnes plus ballast) making it one of the heaviest cargos ever transported. With a length of 245 meters, the cargo will be the longest transported on the Vanguard to date.

“Transporting this ship-shaped FPSO on board of the Dockwise Vanguard demonstrates there this is a better, faster, more safe and efficient solution to transport FPSOs from one side of the world to another, be it for refitting or new builds,” says Hans Leerdam, Category Manager Strategic Vessels at the Offshore Energy division of Boskalis.

The Dockwise Vanguard also recently delivered the ENI Goliat FPSO.

Dockwise Vanguard

The Dockwise Vanguard is a vessel capable of transporting extremely large assets. It has a load capacity in excess of 110,000 tonnes, accommodated on an open-end, free deck space of 275m x 70m. The absence of a raised bow and conventional forward superstructure means that cargo overhang, either forward or aft, is possible. The vessel entered service in February 2013.