Heerema Marine Contractors has begun construction of the H-731 float-over barge with a first steel cutting ceremony at Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering Co. Ltd. (CIMC SOE) yard in Daishan, China. It marks the official start of the construction for the 220-metre float-over barge.
The barge will be purpose-built for the TenneT 2GW programme and will be delivered in Q2, 2027.
‘This new barge enhances our capacity to deliver large-scale offshore wind solutions and reflects our commitment to advancing the global energy transition,’ says Heerema’s Chief Operating Officer Michel Hendriks. ‘Partnering with CIMC SOE underscores our confidence in their expertise and our shared dedication to sustainable maritime solutions.’
The technical specifications of the barge are:
- Length: 222.5 m (730 ft)
- Width: 46.0 m/70.1 m
- Depth: 15.0 m
- Capacity: Topsides float-over capacity up to 40,000 mt
Also read: VIDEO: Heerema’s Sleipnir installs giant converter station
Focus on efficiency and sustainability
In addition to its technical capabilities, Heerema has paid significant attention to optimising sailing behaviour during the design phase. This focus will result in much lower fuel consumption during towing, reinforcing Heerema’s commitment to reducing environmental impact and improving operational efficiency.
Beyond its impressive specifications, the H-731 will play an important role in Europe’s offshore wind ambitions, installing TenneT’s 2GW offshore substations starting in 2028, an essential step toward achieving Germany’s and the Netherlands’ climate goals.
‘TenneT is committed to enabling the energy transition by building the infrastructure needed for an energy secure and sustainable future,’ states Daniel Birckenstock, 2GW Project Director at TenneT. ‘The 2GW framework agreements are initiated to give planning security and predictability to our partners, with the goal to realise investments in resources, production facilities, vessels and other related assets. The start of the construction of the float-over barge of Heerema underlines the success of this strategy.’
Picture: Heerema cuts steel of new float-over barge for TenneT (photo by Heerema Marine Contractors).
Also read: Heerema joins GROW to boost offshore wind innovations
