'Lifting Incident' - Saipem's Giant Crane Vessel Tilts in Norway with 275 People Aboard

Saipem 7000 - File Photo - Credit:Saipem 

Saipem 7000, Saipem's giant semi-submersible crane vessel, tilted in a fjord in Norway with 275 people aboard, the Norwegian news website vg.no has reported.

According to the website, which cited eyewitness accounts,  "loud bangs" could be heard on Thursday morning before the 197.95 meters long vessel, with a free deck area of 9,000 m2, listed in Åmøyfjorden outside Stavanger.

VG also said there were 275 people on board, and said that everyone was accounted for, according to police. 

The self-propelled vessel, one of the largest of its type in the world, can accommodate 725 persons on board. It is used for installation and decommissioning works in both offshore oil and gas and offshore wind industries. It was built by Fincantieri in 1987, VesselsValue data show.

Offshore Engineer has reached out to Saipem for more info. Saipem did not reply. [Update: Saipem released a statement on the possible cause of the incident on Thursday evening, hours after the incident. Read it here.]

The Norwegian Joint Rescue Coordination Centre also said that nobody was injured during what it said was a lifting operation incident. It also said that barges that were located near Saipem 7000 at the time of tilting suffered major damage and capsized.

The Norwegian Maritime Directorate will carry out inspections and port state inspections of the crane vessel SAIPEM 7000 as soon as the situation allows.

On Thursday morning, it was reported that the crane vessel had capsized in the Åmøyfjord near Stavanger as a result of an incident.

The Norwegian Maritime Authority said Thursday it would follow up with inspections and port state control as soon as possible.

"It is reported that there were 275 people on board when the incident occurred. Everyone has been evacuated and accounted for, and no injuries have been reported," it said.

 

Saipem 7000 location - April 14, 2022 - Credit: VesselsValue