World’s Largest Dry Transport Vessel Delivered

Heavy transport shipping company Dockwise Shipping B.V. took delivery of the M/V Blue Marlin after her conversion into the world's largest semi-submersible heavy transport vessel able to carry heavy cargoes up to 73,000 tons.

After a conversion of 3 months at the Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in Ulsan, South Korea the heavy transport vessel Blue Marlin has re-joined the Dockwise fleet with an increased deadweight capacity of 76,061 tons. The beam has been increased by 21 m, which results in an increased unobstructed deck area of 11,227 sq. m (63 m wide x 178.2 m long). The propulsion system of the vessel has been upgraded and extended with 2 Azimuth retractable propulsors of 4.5 MW each to provide optimum manoeuvrability and seagoing characteristics while carrying ultra large cargoes.

With this conversion Dockwise responds to the continuing scale development in especially floating production units for the offshore oil and gas industry. The jumboized Blue Marlin will create the next phase in the transportation of fully integrated, heavier and ultra large floating production and drilling platforms up to 73,000 tons in weight. These units are preferably built fully integrated in order to limit hook up and commissioning at the offshore location as much as possible. The Blue Marlin enables oil companies to optimize the building of these ultra large units regardless of the transportation distance from the fabrication site to the final destination.

The first commitment for the Blue Marlin in this top segment of the heavy transport market has already been made. In the summer of 2004 the Blue Marlin will transport an ultra large and heavy semi-submersible Production Drilling and Quarters unit with a length of 163.80 m, a width of 125.89 m, a height of 129.1 m and a weight of approx. 60,000 tons.

In addition the new vessel will be able to transport and dry-dock even larger semi-submersible and jack-up drilling rigs than have been possible in the past.