Bakker Sliedrecht will provide the electrification solution for Heerema’s Thialf and Sleipnir crane vessels that will enable their shoreside operation to be powered by renewable electricity.
The electrification of the vessels is part of a project involving Eneco, the Port of Rotterdam Authority and the City of Rotterdam as well as Eneco.
As part of the project, a wind farm on the Rozenburg headland will be repowered with nine wind turbines, with a total capacity of 27MW.
The turbines will produce electricity to supply power to operate the crane vessels when docked, instead of diesel engines.
Since August, the project consortium has been building electrical infrastructure, called an “e-house” on the quay near the Calandkanaal in Rotterdam where the Heerema vessels are docked, that can supply 20MW of clean power.
Thialf and Sleipnir are the largest crane vessels in the world.
During the winter period, the crane vessels are regularly moored on the Calandkanaal, for maintenance or for preparation for projects at sea.
Usually all onboard facilities are powered by diesel generators.
By connecting the ships to sustainable shore power from the new e-house, these can be turned off.
Bakker Sliedrecht is carrying out various adjustments onboard.
The company will supply the required transformers, shore connection switchboards and interface to the existing power distribution system and will also install low and high voltage cables, to convert voltages from 11kV to 4.16kV.
All new equipment will be installed on board the Thialf early next year.
After that the work at the Sleipnir will start.