The 3,200t lift capacity floating sheerlegs Asian Hercules II has reinforced Smit Transport & Heavy Lifting’s fleet in Europe.

Smit plans to use Asian Hercules II on projects for offshore fabricators and for work in the civils market. The offshore industry accounts for a substantial proportion of Smit’s work programme.

With the weight of deck sections, modules and other components continuing to increase, the new sheerlegs’ 3,200t capacity will allow Smit to avoid the need for dual lifts and even triple lifts in exceptional circumstances.

Asian Hercules II is on loan from Smit’s Singapore-based partner Keppel Fels (Smit and Keppel strengthen sheerlegs joint venture May99, p6) The vessel is 91m long and 43m wide, and is equipped with an eight-point anchoring system.

Its A-frame (90m) offers a 3,200t lift capacity at a 76m lifting height. The sheerlegs has a lift of 1,600t at a lifting height of 112m, with the fly-jib rigged. The A-frame has three positions: 5.2m, 33m and 59m from the stern.

Despite its European delivery, one of the first major assignment for Asian Hercules II is likely to be in Canada. The sheerlegs is booked to execute a two-week long series of heavy lifts in March at Bull Arm, Newfoundland, for the Terra Nova FPSO, the first mobile production system to be stationed in Canadian waters. The Terra Nova field is 320km off St Johns, in the Grand Banks area. The Bull Arm work programme consists of 18 major lifts, the heaviest being 2,300t.

During its voyage from Singapore to Europe, via the Suez Canal, it called at Barcelona for bridge works. Smit had a contract for lifting and positioning two bascule spans for a bridge within the port area. The weight of each span was around 1,100t.