Crane manufacturer Liebherr and offshore contractor Deme have decided to repair the 5000-tonne crane of installation vessel “Orion”, which collapsed almost six months ago in Rostock during an overload test. 

The German crane manufacturer expects to need some time for this and reports that the repair can be completed “in the course of” 2021. The family business does not estimate the costs but reported in early May that the damage from the crane disaster amounts to tens of millions of euros.

The crane collapsed on May 2 during an overload test onboard Deme’s installation vessel “Orion” as the crane block broke off halfway through the test. The boom then swung over the mast of the crane, causing the crane to collapse. It is unclear whether the Dutch supplier of the block, Ropeblock from Oldenzaal, has been held liable for the damage.

Total loss

Some of the parts of the crane still lie in the waters of the port of Rostock. Belgian heavy-lift company Sarens has been contracted to salvage these parts with works starting this month. Subsequently, the “Orion”, which should have been delivered shortly after the test, must be transferred to another berth. The recovered components are then inspected and repaired if possible. The 145-metre boom is a total loss and has to be completely rebuilt.

With the introduction of the “Orion”, Deme focuses on the installation of the new generation of offshore wind turbines of more than ten megawatts which requires nacelles of over 500 tonnes to be installed at heights of up to 170 meters. With a lifting capacity of 5,000 tonnes at a maximum height of 175 meters, the ship would have been by far the largest of its kind this year.