Capacity doubled
Boskalis building largest ship of its type. The Dutch company Royal Boskalis is converting on of its existing vessels into a subsea rock-installation vessel. According to its statements the move will make the ship the largest unit in the industry in the segment.
Royal Boskalis is upgrading its fleet. The maritime solutions and dredging provider and offshore services firm is converting on of its existing new vessels into a subsea rock-installation vessel (SRI).
The company announced in a recent media release that the ship’s loading capacity is expected to amount to 45,500 t. This capacity will make it the largest SRI ship in the industry, thus doubling the company’s capacity. The move will make Boskalis the “largest player in the segment in the industry”.
The Windpiper, as the company calls its project, is expected to be delivered in the first quarter of 2026. The company expects that the first tasks on which the ship will be deployed likely to be located somewhere in Northwest Europe.
New dimensions in a niche market
Boskalis plans to use the vessel in offshore wind projects. The ship is 227 m long and 40 m wide. The corporation also said that it has a total output of more than 31,000 kW.
The Windpiper has a moonpool for fall pipe installation and also features an inclined fall pipe. The latter is used to protect offshore structures such as the foundations of offshore wind turbines.
With a total of seven thrusters as well as DP2 certification, the Windpiper has specifically been designed, according to Boskalis, “for optimal performance in demanding offshore conditions.»
The vessel’s substantial capacity, spread over two holds, makes it suitable for projects with long distances between the rock-loading facility and the project site, which may be located on the North American east coast, the Baltic Sea or the southern North Sea, for example.
Suitable for long distances
In addition, the overall capacity of the Windpiper minimises the total number of shipping trips required, “which ultimately leads to fewer emissions as well as to lower costs per installed volume of rocks,” the company writes.
The passenger capacity of the ship, with more than 100 individual cabins, also offers plenty of space to accommodate comfortably customer representatives as well as the on-board crew.
Already experienced in converting ships
Boskalis cites its own strong track record with the conversion of existing ships. In 2023, for example, the company completed the conversion of the crane vessel Bokalift 2, which sports a lifting capacity of approximately 4,000 t.
Boskalis is keen to extend the service life of hulls by converting existing ships. In addition, such measures also offer “significant advantages in terms of the time it takes to get such vessels into their markets,” according to the company.
With the design and capabilities of the Windpiper, Boskalis aims to meet the increasing demands of its customers while “maintaining the highest standards in terms of safety and protecting the environment.”