Fred. Olsen Windcarrier (FOWIC) jack-up vessel Blue Tern has arrived for dry dock in Fayard for a number of upgrades. The upgrades come after nearly a year of planning and preparation to detail project scope, budget, and yard selection.

The focal point for this is an enhancement made to the vessel’s crane, which is being completed in partnership with crane maker Liebherr Maritime Cranes. While in dock, the 10 year class renewal will also be made, FOWIC said in its statement.

In addition to general service and maintenance, the crane’s boom will be extended by adding an additional 12m section. While an 800t capacity will be maintained within a 30m radius , the extension will lengthen the boom to a total of 108m, enabling Blue Tern to meet the demands of larger turbine components in forthcoming projects.

Additional upgrades during the yard stay will be made to help strengthen the vessel’s spud can (seabed interaction points), increasing its ability to operate on more diverse seabed conditions, such as extremely dense soil and bedrock. The spud can upgrade is in preparation for Neart na Gaoithe Offshore Wind Farm project in Scotland, where Blue Tern is scheduled to be deployed in 2022.

The company has also recently informed that it will upgrade the Bold Tern with a new 1,600-ton crane to make the heavy lift vessel ready for the future developments in the offshore wind industry. Right now, the construction of the new crane is well underway, with plans for it to be transported to Keppel FELS in Singapore by the end of the year, where it will then be fitted onto Bold Tern.