Semi-submersible heavy-lift vessel undergoes widening project to accommodate larger floating drydocks, ships, and FPSOs
The semi-submersible heavy-lift vessel Boka Vanguard, operated by Boskalis, has completed a major modification at a dry dock in Zhoushan, China. The refit involved expanding the vessel’s width to enhance its transport capabilities for oversized floating drydocks, ships, and FPSOs. The vessel, already recognized as the largest of its kind before the upgrade, can now accommodate even wider cargo.
Structural Modifications to Increase Capacity
Originally 70 meters wide, the Boka Vanguard has been widened by 10.3 meters, bringing its total beam to over 75 meters. The modification was carried out by Boskalis' Heavy Marine Transport division and involved shifting the port-side towers, or outriggers, further outward. This complex engineering task is comparable to relocating a three-story building.
The increased deck space has already proven essential, as the vessel has since transported a floating drydock that would have previously been too wide to carry. Later this year, the Boka Vanguard is scheduled to transport another floating drydock measuring 335 meters in length and 75 meters in width—cargo dimensions that were previously beyond the vessel’s capacity.
Retaining Length, Enhancing Transport Versatility
While the vessel’s width has been expanded, its overall length remains unchanged at 275 meters. The Boka Vanguard features an open stern and a deck without a bow structure, allowing it to transport cargo larger than itself. A notable example of this capability was in 2019 when the vessel transported the 300-meter-long cruise ship Carnival Vista.
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