Swire Projects, the heavy lift and project cargo specialist arm of Swire Shipping, is facilitating sustainable farming and fish feeding in Australia and New Zealand with the recent delivery. The company deployed its versatile 19,600-dwt multipurpose I-Type vessel, the Pacific Innovation for the job. 

The vessel put its two 240-ton cranes to good use, lifting four barges into safe stowage positions. The barges ranged in length from 25 metres to 34 metres with a weight from 80 to 250 tons. The heavy lift job was no small feat and required meticulous planning to ensure a safe operation.

Utilising its heavy lift cranes, Pacific Innovation performed a combination of single and tandem lifts to load the four units on board, lifted directly from the water. Occupying full deck space with other cargoes, the vessel crew, together with cargo superintendents, performed careful lifts and controlled manoeuvring of the barges to land them into safe stowage positions.

The new barges are intended to support a seafood production company with its fish farming operations, driving cost savings, and promoting more sustainable farming and safer fish feeding systems.