In response to the increasing size of wind turbine components, namely monopiles and jackets, the Schiedam-based engineering consultant company, GustoMSC, has introduced a new generation of ships, the ENSIS heavy lift crane vessel. 

This new series, addressing the growing needs of the offshore wind foundation market, features scalable and customizable designs, as well as next-generation crane and deck mission equipment. They have been developed by groups in NOV’s Marine & Construction business unit.

So far, the ENSIS 5000 design is the largest of the series. This heavy lift crane vessel is approximately 220 m long and 55 m wide and has 9,500 m2 of deck space. The heavy lift crane is 5,000t-rated and the ship is designed around a combined upend hinge, with a motion-compensated gripper, that allows the ENSIS 5000 crane to lift up to six XXXL monopiles in one trip. The capacities of this crane currently exceed other capabilities in the market. Additionally, it is possible to integrate the newest energy-saving, reclamation, and storage solutions into the ENSIS 5000.

Lastly, the ENSIS 3000 and ENSIS 4000 models, while based on the same principles as the ENSIS 5000, have been developed to address particular challenges. As such, the ENSIS 3000 is more compact, to install monopiles, pin-piles, or suction anchors that are smaller, with efficiency, for example, while the ENSIS 400 offers opportunities for the evolving US market and Jones Act-compliant vessels.