Allseas’ second offshore cargo ship heading to Rotterdam

Allseas’ new Braveheart cargo barge is sailing west toward Rotterdam following 18 months of fabrication, outfitting and commissioning in China, the company announced Feb. 27.

The vessel, engineered by Allseas teams, incorporates the experience gained from a decade of transferring topsides and jackets to and from the Pioneering Spirit heavy-lift ship, and load-ins and load-outs of offshore structures at fabrication and disposal yards across Europe.

Braveheart is purpose-built to fit within Pioneering Spirit’s bow slot, supporting the transfer of structures ranging from decommissioned platforms heading to disposal sites on land, to newbuild topsides and offshore wind substations awaiting installation.

Chief upgrades compared with Allseas’ existing Iron Lady cargo vessel include a deeper draught, a higher deck load capacity, and a fully electric ballast control system, all said to provide faster, safer and more efficient operations.

The ballast system, featuring high-capacity electric pumps and 1.5-m ballast lines, can move volumes of water equivalent to about 10 Olympic-sized swimming pools per hour, the company claims.

At peak in China, about 450 people were involved in the project comprising yard teams, engineers, quality control inspectors, subcontractors and an Allseas site team.

After reaching Rotterdam, Braveheart will undergo final completion and operational readiness, ahead of supporting Pioneering Spirit’s for its heavy-lift projects this year in the North Sea.