Maritime engineering specialist HeavyLift@Sea is pleased to announce it has now expanded its design family of extremely versatile heavy lifters with the addition of the new MPV 500.
The multi-purpose vessel is based on the HLV 1600 heavy lifter, which was introduced by the team working with company founder Lars Rolner and Managing Director Hendrik Gröne at the start of this year.
As a smaller but equally versatile heavy cargo carrier, the MPV 500 targets an intermediate segment of the market: shipping companies that specialise in smaller-scale heavy cargo loads or are just starting up in the heavy lift segment.
The basic design of the MPV 500 is available in three variations and can be individually configured based on customer needs.
Gröne said: "We have innovatively combined all of the essential requirements of a mid-sized heavy lifter in the MPV 500.
"We created a design which covers all the current demands for flexible use and maximum utilisation required by such specialised shipping companies, and which gives a totally new impulse to the market in this combination."
About the MPV 500
The MPV 500 has an undivided cargo area which is more than 80m-long and has a capacity of nearly 20,000m3.
This makes it equally suitable for the transport of particularly long freight items, for example wind turbine wings for offshore wind farms, as well as bulk cargo and containers.
The cargo area can also be split by an intermediate deck. In addition, the ship can also sail with open hatches. The plans for the heavy lifter include two cranes.
The customer can select a lifting capacity which lies between 120t-250t, enabling the ship to lift up to 500 tonnes in tandem. It can also make use of its total crane capacity in ballast (empty of cargo).
The MPV 500 is 140.5m-long, and with its width of only 23.2m it can pass through the narrow locks of the Saint Lawrence seaway. It has a load-bearing capacity of 12,000t and a maximum draught of 8.55m with a closed hatch, and 7.5m with an open hatch. The living quarters can accommodate a crew of up to 21 persons.
Gröne explains: "With this design, we focused on a fuel-optimised ship design with high efficiency; this includes the fact that the MPV 500 can be equipped with either a two-stroke or four-stroke engine, a shaft generator and controllable pitch propeller.
The engine is arranged aft with exhaust line and funnel on portside. A flap-type rudder and a bow thruster allow for good manoeuvrability.
"With its diesel drive, the heavy lifter can sail at 16k."
This vessel is designed for service also for St. Lawrence / great lakes.
The MPV 500 is available in the designs Economy, Economy Extra, and Ice Class.