GE Powers World’s Largest Crane Vessel

In September, Heerema Marine Contractors’ semi-submersible crane vessel (SSCV) Sleipnir completed its first project, installing the topsides for the Leviathan development in the Mediterranean, a world record lift.

At 220 meters long and 102 meters wide, Sleipnir is the world’s largest crane vessel, with two 10,000-tonne revolving cranes. GE said it provided the electrical part of the power and propulsion system including 12 sets of 8-megawatt (MW) generators, eight units of 5.5 MW propulsion motors, medium-voltage switchboards, transformers, MV7000 drives and the Visor remote monitoring and diagnostics system.

Sleipnir is the world’s first crane vessel with dual-fuel engines running on either marine gas oil (MGO) or liquefied natural gas (LNG). Coupled with GE’s electric propulsion system, the vessel will see lower emissions when on operations. GE’s power package will also generate and distribute electricity to power the vessel’s entire onboard systems.

The solution provided by GE has been conceived from the ground up 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 Rules and Regulations (DP AAA). While being more compact than standard solutions, GE said its solution has advanced sensors built in to help operators monitor the health of each piece of equipment in real time and signal possible malfunctions.

“In addition to the long-term electrical expertise we have in the offshore industry, one of our key strengths lies in our capability of system integration which allows us to create more efficient systems, deliver additional value to our customers and help them maintain fleets with long-term technological advantage and competitiveness in the industry,” said Andy Cooper, Managing Director, GE’s Power Conversion business UK.