Jan De Nul’s jack-up installation vessel Voltaire, under construction in China, has felt the full brunt of nature’s forces as typhoon Muifa hit the shipyard. The eye of the typhoon passed over the yard during the night of September 14 to 15, causing the vessel to come loose from its moorings. 

Jan De Nul informed in a brief statement, that the vessel is safely moored back in the shipyard reporting no injuries. First sight assessments showed limited damage to certain part of the crane and the helideck , with further assessments ongoing.

The vessel has got its Leg Encircling Crane back in March. With a crane house weighing 1800 tonnes, a boom length of 140 metres and weighing 800 tonnes, this is the largest Leg Encircling Crane ever built. The new crane with a 3,000 tons lifting capacity will enable the vessel to perform required tasks of installing offshore wind turbines of the future, with turbines over 270 metres high and blades 120 metres long. The vessel has been specifically designed to transport, hoist and install offshore wind turbines, transition pieces and foundations.

The vessel is close to completion and recently completed the jacking system tests near the shipyard.