en.Wedoany.com Reported - ABB announced on August 11 that it has signed a contract with Guangzhou Shipyard International Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, to supply an integrated power and propulsion system for Allseas' new semi-submersible heavy transport vessel "Grand Tour." The vessel was ordered from Guangzhou Shipyard International in September 2025 and is scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2028.
The Grand Tour has an overall length of 229.9 meters, a molded breadth of 57 meters, a molded depth of 14.8 meters, a summer draft of 11.1 meters, and a deadweight tonnage of approximately 73,000 tons. Its cargo deck measures 180 meters in length and 57 meters in width, covering an area of approximately 10,260 square meters. The vessel has a maximum transport capacity of 60,000 tons, with the stern area capable of loading offshore converter station topside modules weighing up to 40,000 tons, and supports skidding, roll-on/roll-off, and float-on/float-off operations.
ABB's scope of supply includes four ducted Azipod electric propulsion units with a single-unit power of 3.5 MW, totaling 14 MW. The propulsion units can rotate 360 degrees, providing the vessel with bollard pull, DP2 dynamic positioning, and precise maneuvering capability when approaching installation vessels. The optimized duct is designed to maintain propulsion efficiency during transit voyages.
The vessel's power system also includes a closed-loop medium-voltage AC power plant, a PEMS power and energy management system, an EPPS power plant protection system, as well as remote condition monitoring and maintenance functions. The Grand Tour is additionally equipped with one retractable thruster of 2.6 MW and two tunnel thrusters with a single-unit power of 4 MW, and features a ballast system with a pumping capacity of 24,000 cubic meters per hour to accomplish submergence loading of large structures and offshore transfer operations.
The Grand Tour will be powered by four Wärtsilä 31 engines, each fitted with NOx reduction devices. The vessel is configured with a 24 MW methanol-ready propulsion system that can be further converted to use e-methanol. An air lubrication system will also be installed at the hull bottom to reduce sailing resistance and fuel consumption.
Upon completion, the vessel will serve TenneT's 2 GW offshore wind grid connection program, transporting large converter stations produced at manufacturing bases in Asia and Europe to the Dutch and German North Sea areas. The offshore converter stations convert AC power generated by wind farms into DC power, which is then transmitted to shore via subsea HVDC cables.
The Grand Tour can submerge its main deck below the waterline for loading converter stations and is designed to match the bow opening dimensions of the Pioneering Spirit installation vessel. Once the two vessels are docked, the converter station can be transferred directly to the Pioneering Spirit, which will perform the offshore heavy-lift installation. Allseas plans to utilize this transport and installation system to support the commissioning of 28 GW of offshore wind grid connection capacity in Europe by 2032.
