GE to power one of the world’s largest crane vessels 1

According to a recently signed deal between GE’s Marine Solutions business and Sembcorp Marine, GE is set to provide technology that will be at the heart of the operations of Heerema’s new semi-submersible crane vessel (SSCV) Sleipnir. At 220m long and 102m wide, Sleipnir is to become the world’s largest crane vessel. It will be equipped with two cranes, each with a lifting capacity of 10,000 tonnes, and will be used for offshore construction and heavy lifting.

To enable smooth operations on board the vessel, GE is set to provide the electrical part of the power and propulsion system, including 12 sets of 8MW generators, eight units of 5.5MW propulsion motors, and medium voltage switchboards, transformers and MV7000 drives. The power generated from the system will position and propel the vessel and provide electricity to its onboard systems.

Overcoming various technical challenges, the solution provided by GE was developed from scratch to meet requirements specific to this project. As a result, the entire power system is designed for fault tolerance in accordance with Lloyd’s Register’s dynamic positioning standard DP (AAA). GE’s solution has advanced sensors built in to help operators monitor the condition of each piece of equipment in real-time and signal possible malfunctions. According to GE, these measures result in a compact yet highly sophisticated solution, which facilitates operations while helping to minimise downtime and increase availability.

Commenting on the deal Martijn Wijdeveld, senior project manager for Heerema Offshore Services, said: “To power our newest SSCV, we wanted to collaborate with some of the best in the business. In GE we have found a partner that brings considerable experience and know-how into the project. We are confident that its technology on board our vessel will facilitate reliable operations.”

William Gu Wei Guang, head of Sembcorp Marine Rigs & Floaters, said: “To build this mammoth vessel for Heerema, we are happy to be partnering with GE. We look forward to working with GE in installing high quality and best in class solutions on board the vessel.”

“We are excited to be working on this project with Heerema,” said Tim Schweikert, president and chief executive of GE’s Marine Solutions business. “Building an SSCV of such proportions comes with its own set of challenges. With our deep technical expertise, we are confident of tackling these challenges and delivering a high quality solution to enable flawless operations of the vessel. We also believe that this project will strengthen the relationship between GE, Heerema and Sembcorp Marine.”

GE used its widespread and diverse supply chain for its scope of supply for this project, with the generators, switchboards, motors and variable frequency drives being sourced from various countries in Europe. The delivery plan is spread between September 2016 and May 2017, with the vessel scheduled to be commissioned by December 2018.