Ship Photos of the Day – Dockwise Vanguard Loads Gargantuan Cargo in Rotterdam

Dockwise Vanguard with Armada Intrepid FPSO, May 10, 2015. Photo: Hans Elbers/Fotovlieger.nl

Dockwise Vanguard, the world’s most capable semi-submersible heavy lift ship, was in the Port of Rotterdam this weekend to load the Armada Intrepid Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) for transport to Indonesia.

With a length of 245 meters, the FPSO is the longest cargo ever loaded onto the heavy lift ship, according to Dockwise’s parent company Boskalis. The Armada Intrepid FPSO weighs approximately 60,000 tonnes (42,000 tonnes plus ballast), also making it one of the heaviest cargos ever lifted.

Beginning on Friday, the FPSO was loaded with support by tugs from SMIT Towage Northwest Europe in the Caland canal, Port of Rotterdam.

“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.

Dockwise Vanguard entered service in February 2013 and has a total lifting capacity of over 110,000 tonnes.

Here are some more photos of the loading operation:

See a full gallery of photos at Fotovlieger.nl

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