DEME has taken delivery of the offshore installation vessel Orion.
The ship is equipped with the 5,000-tonne capacity HLC 295000 crane from Liebherr – the largest crane it has ever built.
With a total installed power of 44,180 kW and at 216.5 m long, the vessel has a large unobstructed deck and a deadweight that has been maximised so it can handle the heaviest components.
Luc Vandenbulcke, ceo of the DEME Group, said: “This vessel heralds a new era in the offshore energy industry – one which will be dominated by multi-megawatt turbines, jackets and components. The combination of unique technology, load capacity and superior lifting heights will enable Orion to play an important role in helping the industry successfully navigate the energy transition.”
Sustainability considerations are also a vital part of the vessel’s design. Orion has dual fuel engines enabling it to run on LNG or alternative clean fuels, a Green Passport and Clean Design notation. A waste heat recovery system that converts heat from the exhaust gases to electrical energy has also been incorporated in the design. T
Orion will shortly set sail for its first project in Germany, where foundations will be installed at the Arcadis Ost 1 offshore wind farm. This will be followed by a decommissioning project in the UK. Orion will also be deployed for the installation of 176 foundations at the Coastal Virginia offshore wind farm in the USA.
