Boskalis’ semi-submersible heavy transport vessel BOKA Vanguard has returned to the Bahamas carrying another impressive cargo: the 335-metre-long floating dry dock East End for Grand Bahama Shipyard Ltd. The dry dock was loaded a few weeks ago in Qingdao, China.
The BOKA Vangaurd and the Bahamas archipelago in the Caribbean have been inextricably linked since 2019. In the azure blue waters of the archipelago, the world’s largest transport vessel loaded the giant cruise ship Carnival Vista back then, which was urgently seeking a dry dock for some emergency work – and found it on the deck of the BOKA Vanguard.
Now, six years later, the BOKA Vanguard has returned to the Bahamas with the dry dock on its deck. The dry dock protrudes 44 metres from the stern of the vessel and 17.5 metres at the bow. The BOKA Vanguard was widened by 10 metres at the end of last year to enable the transport of this massive East End floating dock.
Also read: Boskalis’ Boka Vanguard becomes even wider
BOKA Vanguard
The BOKA Vanguard was built in 2012 by Hyundai Heavy Industries and delivered in early 2013. It was originally named Dockwise Vanguard. The company Dockwise was acquired by offshore contractor Boskalis in 2013.
The vessel is 275 metres long and sails under the flag of Curaçao. Its depth is 15.50 metres, but when submerged, this becomes 31 metres. The BOKA Vanguard was originally 70 metres wide, but earlier this year a modification was completed, adding another 10 metres to the vessel’s width.
With its bridge on starboard side, cargo can extend beyond the vessel’s bow. Notable cargo carried by the vessel includes the semi-submersible platform Jack/St. Malo, the FPSO Goliat, Heerema’s crane vessel Hermod, the cruise ship Carnival Vista and very recently, the Fremantle Highway (renamed Floor).
Picture: BOKA Vanguard carrying the floating dry dock for Grand Bahama Shipyard (photo by Boskalis).
Also read: BOKA Vanguard to transport Fremantle Highway to China
