OHT Semi-submersible vessel.

'Alfa Lift' secures Dogger Bank contracts

The shipowner Offshore Heavy Transport (OHT) has been awarded the contracts for the transport and installation of the foundations for the Dogger Bank A and B projects in the UK, using the newbuild Alfa Lift vessel, a ship design from Ulstein Design & Solutions BV.
Published
01 October 2020
Share

The contracts follow after OHT in end 2019 announced the award of a preferred supplier agreement for Dogger Bank.

The 'Subway Alfa Lift' will transport and install all monopile foundations and transition pieces for each of the two 1.2GW phases of the Dogger Bank project between 2022 and 2024.

Alfa Lift, designed by Ulstein, is currently under construction at the CMHI yard in China and is due for delivery next year. With this vessel, OHT sets a new benchmark in heavy offshore transport and installation. The vessel has the ability to perform heavy lift crane operations with the main deck submerged.

Coming from the offshore oil and gas industry, designing and building vessels for some of the world's toughest areas and demanding operations, Ulstein has become a leading player in the growing offshore wind industry. The knowledge of how to integrate technical, operational and commercial aspects in a vessel design is paramount when contributing to the LCOE (Levelised Cost Of Energy) reduction in future offshore wind projects. New offshore wind farms are being developed further from shore, in rougher seas and deeper waters. This increases the need for higher carrying capacities, comfortable accommodation, vessel flexibility and operational availability and safety.

The Dogger Bank Wind Farm is being developed by SSE Renewables and Equinor, with first power expected in 2023. The contract award is subject to Dogger Bank A and B reaching Financial Close, which is expected in late 2020.

Source: OHT

Latest news

Orient Adventurer inclining test 1
Update

Inclining test completed on Orient Adventurer - Aftermarket services that keep vessels fit for new roles

Vessel conversions and re‑mobilisations demand more than drawings and calculations. Recent work on Orient Adventurer, now being prepared for cable-laying operations, demonstrates how critical in-depth knowledge of a vessel’s operational history is to deliver safe, class-approved solutions. Through Ulstein’s aftermarket services, we support complex vessel upgrades with engineering, stability, and weight expertise, including planning and executing inclining tests for conversion and life‑extension projects.

IMG 9692
Feature

How Ulstein tested a new cable-laying vessel design

How can you be confident that a new vessel design will actually perform in rough seas and demanding operations? The answer lies in thorough verification, independent testing and documented performance. Recently, a new Ulstein design for a cable-laying vessel was tested in a large-scale ocean basin at SINTEF Ocean. The results delivered exactly what Ulstein seeks: confidence that the design performs as intended.