Metairie, La.-based A.K. Suda has designed the world’s largest pipe-leg steel liftboat, the company announced recently.
Based on the SUDA 335-L3, the 59m (193'6") x40m (131') x5m (16') liftboat Teras Conquest 8 was delivered to its owners, Singapore-based Teras Offshore Pte. Ltd. by Saigon Offshore Fabrication & Engineering Ltd. in June. The vessel features 102.5m (335') legs. A truss leg version is under construction.
“Liftboats are getting larger and more sophisticated,” the design company's CEO, Ajay Suda, said in a prepared statement. “We are at the forefront, having designed the top three largest liftboats in the world.”
The Teras Conquest 8 is a three-legged, self- propelled, self-elevating, general service liftboat, known as the SUDA 335-L3P design.
The liftboat has two leg encircling 250-ton cranes, with a maximum reach of 129 ft. The liftboat can accommodate 160 persons including crew.
With its long legs, this self-elevating unit is capable of working in water depths up to 262'. It also has a CAP 437 heliport, capable of supporting Sikorsky helicopter models S-61N and S-92A.
There has been a large increase in demand for liftboats in recent years, with many owners and charterers not being able to wait out the time frame that it takes to have the vessels built, Suda said. “Our designs have evoked a lot of interest in the Middle East and Far East. When you can get more cost effective solutions than what has been available, why would you not be interested?”
Main propulsion comes from a pair of Caterpillar MTS-523 1,500-kW 360° azimuth thrusters, which gives the liftboat at running speed of 6 knots. There are also four Cat MTT 113 bow tunnel thrusters for added maneuverability. Ship's service power comes from four Cat 3512C gensets, sparking 440 kW of power each.
With a draft of 4m (13'), the Teras Conquest 8 has a cargo deck that measures 1,475 sq. meters and can handle 1,575 tons. Capacities include 624 cu. meters (164,843 gals.) of fuel; 484 cu. meters (127,880 gals.) water; and 10.5 cu. meters (2,774 gals.) lube oil. “The larger vessels of our designs like the SUDA 450-L3T can easily be morphed into rigs at significantly less cost than the traditional designs,” Suda said. “We are excited at the tremendous opportunity to usher in a new generation of jackup rigs. The industry has not seen new concepts in rig design for a long time.”
In addition to the SUDA 335 Series, the company is also working on a series of wind turbine installation vessel designs starting with the JG6000P, which will be the first Jones Act compliant vessel for that purpose, Suda said.
