12 Biggest Semi-Submersible Heavy Transport Vessels

Semi-submersible Heavy Transport Vessels are vital to the shipping industry. They are employed in several offshore roles, such as transporting offshore drilling rigs, FPSOs, oil production platforms, foundations for offshore wind farms and other heavy cargo.

Read further to learn about the 12 Biggest Semi-Submersible Heavy Transport Vessels, listed according to their carrying capacity.

1. Boka Vanguard

Earlier known as Dockwise Vanguard, this semi-submersible heavy lift ship is the biggest in the world, capable of carrying cargo weighing up to 117,000 tonnes.

Hyundai Heavy Industries built it to transport offshore oil and gas platforms. However, it can also move other vessels and function as an offshore dry dock facility.

This US $240 million vessel is 275 m long and 79 m wide, with a draught of 11 m when sailing and 31 m when submerged.

Boka Vanguard’s bridge and living spaces are on the starboard side, and its watertight deck enables water to flow over it without risk.

It is submersible, so it can lift vessels or rigs out of the waters and place them into the waters. When its ballast tanks are flooded, the deck becomes 16 m below the surface, enabling it to handle cargoes with a deep draught.

Cargoes are floated over her, and her ballast tanks are empty, enabling Boka Vanguard to lift and ship heavy cargo. It can attain a speed of 14 knots and accommodate 40 crew members.

2. MV Xin Guang Hua

This is the biggest Chinese Ship of her type and the second-biggest semi-submersible heavy lift vessel in the world, capable of carrying 100,000 tonnes.

It was built by Guangzhou Shipyard International and is owned by COSCO Shipping. Construction started in 2015, and the ship entered service in December of the following year.

Xin Guang Hua is 255 m long, 68 m wide, and has a 10 m draft. Its gross tonnage is 84,239 tonnes, and its cargo dock is 208 m long and can be submerged to a 16 m depth.

It can undertake stern and side loading and was designed to have great internal strength.

It has a diesel-electric propulsion system and six generators. The ship has a speed of 13.5 knots.

3. MV Blue Marlin

Operated by Dockwise Shipping, Blue Marlin is a versatile ship built to transport oversized and heavy cargoes, such as offshore drilling rigs, container ships, naval vessels, etc.

Blue Marin can carry 76,061 tonnes and has 38 cabins that accommodate 60 people. It also boasts state-of-the-art workout rooms, a swimming pool, a sauna, and a citadel to protect against pirate attacks.

It was constructed by CSBC Corporation, Taiwan, in 2000 and has been a part of many crucial operations.

US Navy hired it to transport destroyer USS Cole to the U.S after it suffered damage in a terrorist attack in Yemen. It also delivered the 60,000 tonnes Thunder Horse oil platform to Texas.

Blue Marlin was refurbished in 2003, improving its manoeuvrability. This enormous ship measures 224 m lengthwise and 63 m breadthwise, and its deck covers more than 43,000 m2.

4. Seaway Hawk

It is one of the world’s largest semi-submersible heavy lift vessels, designed for offshore and onshore facilities, with float on/off, roll on/off, skid on/off, and lift on/off operations.

Seaway Hawk has an expansive deck measuring 157 lengthwise and covering 8700 m2, which can accommodate 40 people.

With its massive deck and high-capacity ballast system, it regularly moves the world’s largest and heaviest drilling jack-up rigs.

It has an LOA of 223 m and a breadth of 55 m. It has a deadweight of 64,900 mt and a cruising speed of 12 knots.

Seaway Hawk was classified by DNV GL and is sailing under the Norwegian Flag.

5. GPO Emerald

GPO Emerald is one of the four semi-submersible heavy transport vessels operated by GPO Heavylift, a company formed in 2014.

These vessels transport offshore drilling rigs, dredging equipment, cranes, offshore and onshore modules, and other heavy cargo.

All four vessels, GPO Emerald, GPO Grace, GPO Sapphire, and GPO Amethyst, were delivered between 2017 and 2021 and share the same features.

They are 225 m long and 48 m wide with a depth of 13.8 m. They can submerge up to 15 m and have a deadweight of 64,000 tonnes.

6. Seaway Osprey

This Seaway vessel is different from other vessels in the fleet in one regard. It is narrower and has more submerging capabilities, allowing it to transport massive cargo that needs a high speed of transit.

This vessel has an LOA of 223 m and a breadth of 44.5 m. Its deadweight is 54,000 mt, and it is currently sailing under the Norwegian Flag.

Its free deck length and area are 157 m and 6900 m2, respectively. It can accommodate 40 crew members, has a speed of 13 knots, and has a range of 25,000 nautical miles.

7. Zhen Hua 33

This Chinese Ship was constructed to carry heavy cargo, like offshore rigs and other ships, on its massive cargo deck.

It has an LOA of 227 m and a 43 m breadth, a loaded draft of 10 m, and a 13.5 m deck submersion.

It is owned by Shanghai Zhenhua Shipping and was built in 2017 by Zenhua Port Machinery Company in Nantong, China.

Zhen Hua 33 has 79 ballast tanks, including top and centre, side, and double-bottom tanks, which allow the ship to control its motion and acceleration better.

It has a speed of 13 knots and a deadweight of 50,352 tonnes. It can comfortably accommodate 55 people.

8. Xiang Rui Kou

This vessel is operated by COSCO Shipping Heavy Transport and is presently sailing under the Chinese Flag.

It has an overall length of 216.7 m and a hull depth of 13 m.

Xiang Rui Kou was tested on all parameters and is quite efficient in its operations. It was classified by CCS and has a speed of 13.5 knots.

This semi-submersible heavy-transport vessel has a deadweight of 48,232 tonnes and 61 ballast tanks. It can accommodate 24 people in addition to the crew members.

9. Mighty Servant 1

This 29,000-tonne semi-submersible heavy lift vessel can carry other ships, offshore platforms, oil rigs, deepwater jack-up rigs, tension leg platforms, spars and floating drydocks.

Mighty Servant 1 was constructed by Oshima Shipbuilding Co. Ltd in 1983. It is 190 m long and 50 m wide and has a gross tonnage of 29,193 and a deadweight of 40,910 tonnes.

It has a cruising speed of 14 knots and can attain a maximum speed of 15 knots. Mighty Servant has an endurance of 59 days and a 20-member crew.

10. Seaway Albatross

Superior speed and low fuel consumption are the major characteristics of the Seaway Albatross, currently sailing under the Marshall Islands Flag.

It also boasts a sophisticated ballast system and can remain stable in extreme tidal changes during RORO operations.

Albatross is a state-of-the-art semi-submersible heavy installation vessel with an LOA of 204.325 m, 42.5 m breadth and 11.85 m depth.

It has a deadweight of 34,797 mt and can take a maximum deck load of 30 mt/m².

The free deck length and area are 129 m and 5400 m2, respectively. Albatross can easily accommodate 39 people and has a gross tonnage of 34925 tonnes.

Albatross was constructed in 1993 by Astillero La Naval in Spain. Its cruising speed is 13 knots, and its range is 26,000 nautical miles.

11. Hua Hai Long

This semi-submersible heavy transport ship is part of COSCO Shipping Heavy Transport’s fleet. The company has offices in Houston and Rotterdam and serves clients worldwide.

It excels in transportation of offshore equipment, and its expertise spans float-on/float-off, roll-on/roll-off and lift-on/lift-off operations, ensuring the cargo reaches its destination swiftly and safely.

Hua Hai Long is currently sailing under the Chinese Flag. It has an LOA of 181.90 m and a breadth of 43.6 m.

Its deck can submerge up to 12 m and attain a maximum speed of 11 knots. It has 8 Transverse bulkheads and 3 Longitudinal bulkheads.

Hua Hai Long can accommodate 50 crew members and has a deadweight of 30,000 mt.

12. Fjord

This specialised semi-submersible heavy transport barge was constructed in 2000 at the Jiangsu Jinling Shipyard Co., Ltd. It is currently sailing under Panama’s flag.

This barge is used for transporting offshore drilling rigs, oil platforms, FPSOs, and other heavy cargo.

Fjord is a one-of-a-kind vessel in the fleet of KOOLE Contractors, a provider of industrial and maritime services specialising in demolitions, wreck removal, marine construction and remediation.

Fjord is used in wreck removal projects as it can carry heavy refloated wrecks or broken parts of ships ashore.

Known for its stability and seagoing characteristics, it has 6000 m2 of deck area and a large accommodation space.

Given her sternless design, she can accommodate overhang on the stern and boasts a deadweight capacity of 24,500 tonnes. Fjord has an LOA of 159.24 m, a breadth of 45.50 m and a depth of 9 m.

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Zahra is an alumna of Miranda House, University of Delhi. She is an avid writer, possessing immaculate research and editing skills. Author of several academic papers, she has also worked as a freelance writer, producing many technical, creative and marketing pieces. A true aesthete at heart, she loves books a little more than anything else.

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