OHT’s New Heavy Lift Vessel Alfa Lift Taking Shape in China

Offshore Heavy Transport’s (OHT) new semi-submersible wind farm foundation installation vessel Alfa Lift is taking shape at the China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI) yard in China.

According to Ulstein, two 450t blocks were lifted into dock for assembly on 21 November at CMHI’s facility in Jiangsu.

Alfa Lift, for which the first steel was cut on 1 March, is designed to install bottom-fixed offshore wind foundations and will transport and install topsides and subsea modules, in addition to other heavy cargoes within oil & gas.

Featuring a free deck length of 148m, and a free deck area of 8,100m² (main) + 2,470 m² (foredeck), Alfa Lift has accommodation for 100 people. The 216.3m vessel will feature MAN Energy Solutions’ engines.

The vessel’s capabilities are said to match the future requirements of the offshore wind industry, allowing it to transport and install up to ten 1,500t ultra-large jacket foundations or eleven 2,000t XXL monopiles plus transition pieces for the largest turbines.

The launching ceremony is planned for March 2020, with Alfa Lift due to be delivered in early 2021.