Japanese hybrid power cable lay & construction vessel to sport Huisman cranes

Norway’s VARD has awarded Dutch Huisman with a contract to deliver two subsea cranes for a highly customized hybrid power cable lay and construction vessel that it is building for what it says is a leading Japanese construction company.

Huisman will deliver a full electric 250mt hybrid boom subsea crane and a 100mt knuckle boom crane destined for integration into Toyo Construction’s latest cable-lay and construction vessel, designed for the Japanese offshore wind industry.

According to Huisman, the hybrid boom crane includes a fully electric traction and storage winch design that ensures secure storage of large-diameter subsea wire rope and is equipped with both passive and active heave compensation systems. Designed to meet the specific requirements and preferences of Toyo Construction, the crane will undergo certification according to ClassNK regulations.

The 100mt knuckle boom crane, part of Huisman’s recently launched subsea crane range for offshore construction vessels, features active heave compensation and is designed to assist in subsea work and handle cargo across the deck.

Both cranes will be manufactured at Huisman’s production facility in Zhangzhou, China.

David Roodenburg, CEO of Huisman, said: “We are honoured to announce our partnership with Toyo Construction as an esteemed new client in Japan. We take pride in supplying cutting-edge equipment for their multi-purpose construction vessel, empowering Toyo to excel in offshore construction in Japan and beyond.”

VARD announced the contract worth over $200 million with Toyo Construction at the end of 2023.

The 150-meter-long vessel will be of VARD 9 15 design and will be prepared for inter-array, HVAC export and interconnector cable lay, as well as cable burial operation and construction work.

The self-propelled cable-laying vessel will be powered by five main gensets and two batteries. It will have a maximum transit speed of 13 knots and will comprise 90 single cabins for 90 persons on board.