Nekkar crane for methanol-powered cable-lay support vessel

Nekkar, through the recently acquired Techano Group, has been awarded a contract to deliver an offshore crane to a newbuild cable-lay support vessel (CSV) that Sefine Shipyard is building for Norwegian shipowner Agalas.

Under the contract, Nekkar will deliver a 70-tonne offshore crane capable of performing both subsea installation and removal operations plus topside 3D-compensated lifting operations in conjunction with wind farm developments and operations.

The knuckle boom crane is equipped with an active heave compensated (AHC) winch with 2,000 metre wire for subsea operation, and a separate 3-tonne 3D active motion-compensated lifting tool for topside lifts.

The crane features Intellilift’s control system and motion-compensating system.

The completed crane will be delivered to Nekkar’s contract partner, Sefine Shipyard in Turkey, in 2024.

“We have developed a crane that is ideal for vessels operating on offshore wind farms. It can perform subsea lifting operations and is capable of supporting wind farm operations with lifting of equipment and tools necessary to operate and maintain wind turbines”, said Øystein Bondevik, director of business development and sales at Nekkar.

“It offers a flexibility that improves the commercial potential for the shipowner while it also reduces operating costs for operators of wind farms.”

Norway-based NSK Ship Design has designed the dual-fuel methanol vessel that is 99 metres, 21 metres wide, and equipped with a battery pack.

It has been designed to support the installation of inter-array cables at offshore wind farms and when not installing cables, the vessel can operate in other sectors of the offshore industry, including light construction and cable repair.

NOTE: The original article has been amended.