SAL Heavy Lift, a Harren Group company and a member of the JSI Alliance has reached a major milestone in the construction of the first of five Orca Class heavy-lift multipurpose vessels, the MV Elise. The Alliance said the first vessel hit the water at the Wuhu shipyard in China.

MV Elise and its sister vessel MV Frida will be contracted to Siemens Gamesa. Delivery was initially scheduled for July, however, there is still some more work to be done, with the two LS 800 E fully electric cranes still to be installed.

Last month, MV Lisa loaded the two units at the Liebherr terminal in Rostock and is heading over to the yard.

The vessels will be equipped with dual-fuel engines and can be run on methanol as an alternative fuel. As soon as green methanol becomes available in key ports, the Jumbo-SAL-Alliance will be able to offer their customers carbon-neutral transport solutions following the sustainability goals of the Harren Group.

The ships are 149.9 metres in length and 27.2 metres in width, with a capacity of 14,600 dwt. They have a single, box-shaped cargo hold with the largest dimensions in their class. Hatch covers can hold 10 t/m² for heavy deck cargoes. The ships can accommodate over-height cargo and sail with open hatch covers up to full scantling draft.

The vessels will feature Ice class notation 1A, a Polar Code certification and the reduced design temperature of the hull and equipment allow the ships to safely operate in cold conditions as well.