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SSCV Thialf

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
SSCV Thialf in a Norwegian fjord
History
NameSSCV Thialf
NamesakeThialfi (Norse servant of Thor)[1]
OperatorHeerema Marine Contractors
BuilderMitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding[2]
Identification
StatusIn service
General characteristics
Class and typeSemi-submersible crane vessel
Tonnage
  • 136,709 GT
  • 41,012 NT
Displacement198,750 t max
Length201.6 m (661 ft)
Beam88.4 m (290 ft)
Height144.0 m (472.4 ft) crane
Draft31.6 m (104 ft) max
Depth49.5 m (162 ft)
Propulsion6 × 5,500 kW retractable azimuthing thrusters
Complement736 berths

The SSCV Thialf is a huge semi-submersible crane vessel operated by the Netherlands-based Heerema Marine Contractors; it was the largest crane vessel in the world until the SSCV Sleipnir became the largest in 2019.

History

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The ship was constructed in 1985 as DB-102 for McDermott International by Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. In 1997, it was taken over by Heerema Marine Contractors after discontinuation of their joint venture with McDermott, HeereMac, and renamed Thialf.

Layout

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The Thialf has two cranes with a combined maximum lifting capacity of 14,200 metric tons.[4]

It is equipped with a class III dynamic positioning system. Propulsion and position keeping is by six 5,500-kW retractable azimuthing thrusters. For shallow waters, there are 12 Flipper Delta anchors at 22.5 t, with 2,500-meter, 80-mm mooring wire.

The hull consists of two pontoons with four columns each. Transit draft is about 12 meters. For lifting operations, it is normally ballasted down to 26.6 m (87 ft). This way the pontoons (with a draft of 13.6 meters) are well submerged to reduce the effect of waves and swell.

It is able to accommodate 736 people.

Its lightship weight is 72,484 t.

Noteworthy projects

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Thialf and Sleipnir in Stavanger, May 2024. German corvette Braunschweig in the foreground.
  • Decommissioning of the Brent Spar in 1998.
  • In 2000, it set a world record of 11,883 t by lifting Shell's Shearwater topsides, beaten by Saipem 7000 in 2004 with the Sabratha deck lifting of 12,150 t.[5]
  • In 2004, it installed the topsides on BP's Holstein, at the time the world's largest spar. The lift was a record for the Gulf of Mexico: 7,810 t. The current[as of?] record for Gulf of Mexico is now held by the Saipem 7000 with the 9,521 t of PEMEX PB-KU-A2 deck installed in March 2007.[6]
  • In 2005, it installed the heaviest single piece foundation piles: 2.74 meters diameter × 190 meters long, weighing 818 t each for Chevron's Benguela Belize compliant tower.
  • In 2009, the ship became involved in the Alpha Ventus project, the first German offshore windfarm.
  • 2017-2018: The Thialf was involved in the installation of the platform sections of the Johan Sverdrup Complex, part of the development of the Johan Sverdrup oil field.[7]

Footnotes

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  1. ^ "Thialf". Ugly Ships. 14 May 2010. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
  2. ^ "DCV Thialf". Heerema Marine Contractors. Archived from the original on 23 June 2012. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
  3. ^ "DCV Thialf". Marine Traffic. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
  4. ^ "American Bureau of Shipping Record, Thialf". Archived from the original on April 20, 2009.
  5. ^ "Lloyd's Register EMEA assists world record lift for Sabratha topsides installation". Lloyd register. Archived from the original on March 3, 2007.
  6. ^ "Saipem Sets New Record in Mexico".
  7. ^ "Special projects thanks to Dutch offshore contractors".
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