Posted on December 15, 2020
Heerema Marine Contractors will retrofit two of the world’s largest heavy lift crane vessels to cut greenhouse gas emissions
It is converting power on Thialf and Sleipnir as part of a shore power project in the Port of Rotterdam, in the Netherlands. This investment will enable Thialf and Sleipnir to source power from green shore resources, generated from wind turbines at the quay of the Calandkanaal in Rotterdam, allowing them to switch off generators while at dock which significantly reduces noise and CO2, NOx, SOx and particulate matter emissions.
Heerema told Riviera Maritime Media, Thialf currently operates on diesel generators , while Sleipnir is already considered a sustainable vessel as it runs on emission reducing LNG, being the largest vessel in the world to be powered in this way.
Announcement of these retrofits comes as the industry discusses methods of providing electricity to vessels from shore power and installing batteries on ships at Riviera’s Maritime Hybrid & Electric, Europe virtual conference, 9-11 December.
Heerema is the first client of Port of Rotterdam’s sustainable energy project, investing in the conversions to reduce emissions and fuel costs when Thialf and Sleipnir are regularly moored up during the northern hemisphere winter period. They are usually docked in the Calandkanaal in Rotterdam for maintenance and preparation for offshore projects.
Heerema has contracted Bakker Sliedrecht to electrify Thialf and Sleipnir. This involves various adjustments and installations on board, including supplying the required transformers, shore connection switchboards and interfaces to the existing power distribution system. Bakker Sliedrecht will also expand the existing installations and switchboards and install low and high voltage cables. The voltage must be converted from 11 kV to 4.16 kV.
All new equipment will be installed on board the Thialf during Q1 2021. Bakker Sliedrecht will then work on Sleipnir, which will need fewer electrical adjustments and a less-extensive work package.
Power company Eneco, the Port of Rotterdam Authority and the City of Rotterdam are also participating in this shore-power project. As part of the project, nine wind turbines with a total capacity of 27 MW will replace 10 existing wind turbines on the headland at Rozenburg.
Since August 2020, the project consortium built a power export unit on the quay near the canal. This will supply 20 MW of green wind energy when completed in 2021.
Around 400 people can work on board Thialf and Sleipnir. Currently, on board facilities are powered by diesel generators. Heerema can switch these off when the heavy lift crane vessels are connected to the sustainable shore power saving 15,000 tonnes of CO2 from each vessel, reducing Heerema’s environmental footprint.
Bakker Sliedrecht expects more vessels will have electrical system retrofits for shore power in Rotterdam once this is available.
Source: rivieramm
