Dutch heavy lift ship launched

The ship is scheduled to begin operation in the first quarter of 2012, which IHC claims is an “impressively short” lead time of a year and a half – from signing the contract to delivery – for a complex, high-technology vessel. 60m long and 38m wide, Neptune is equipped with a DP2 system, and a dedicated 600 tonne crane that is fully integrated into the hull. It will be employed on transport and installation of offshore wind turbines and other heavy marine offshore structures. When operational, Neptune will be ABS classed, with a ‘Green Passport’.

The first assignment will be at Thorntonbank off the Belgian coast, where the ship will perform the installation of 48 wind turbines for the second and third stages of the C-Power offshore wind farm. Then, it will move to German waters in the North Sea for the construction of the Trianel West Borkum II and the EnBW Baltic 2 wind farms.