Van Oord’s offshore installation vessel Boreas (flying the Dutch flag) has arrived in the Netherlands after a smooth voyage from China of almost 14,700 nautical miles. To reach its destination, the gigantic vessel had to navigate through the world's largest sea lock in IJmuiden, an impressive sight. Outfitting and finishing will take place in the Netherlands, where the vessel will be christened before embarking on its first offshore wind project.
The largest offshore of its kind
The Boreas is the largest offshore installation vessel of its kind. It measures 175 metres in length and is equipped with a crane capable of lifting over 3,000 tonnes. With a 155-metre-high boom, the Boreas is purpose-built for the transport and installation of next-generation wind turbines and foundations. Four giant legs, each measuring 126 metres, allow the vessel to be jacked up and work in waters up to 70 metres deep. All these features make the vessel ideal for installing offshore wind turbines of up to 20 megawatt.
Sustainable maritime innovation
The vessel is the first of its kind capable of running on methanol, a fuel that will reduce its footprint by more than 78%. In addition, it is equipped with cutting-edge active emissions control technology (Selective Catalytic Reduction) to reduce NOx emissions to an absolute minimum. A battery pack of about 6,000 kilowatt hours can manage peak loads and regenerate energy to further reduce fuel consumption and the corresponding emissions.
Source: Van Oord