Boskalis has successfully loaded a Carnival cruise ship aboard the world’s largest semi-submersible heavy lift vessels off the Bahamas.
The 12 hour operation involving the 134,000-gt Carnival Vista (built 2016) took place over the weekend a few miles off the coast of Freeport.
Starting at sunrise on Saturday the BOKA Vanguard (built 2013) loaded and then lifted the cruise ship before transporting it to Grand Bahama Shipyard.
The Carnival vessel will undergo repairs to its Azipod propulsion systems after it reportedly suffered “technical issues” while aboard the Boka Vanguard.
Upon completion of the repairs, Carnival Vista will be offloaded in time for its next scheduled cruise voyage from Galveston in Texas on 27 July.
Last week Carnival said the ship had to be repaired in a dry dock, however a facility capable of handling the ship was not available in the region.
“This groundbreaking procedure made possible by Boskalis is a revolutionary way to ensure Carnival Vista's repairs are completed in a safe, timely and efficient manner, so the ship can resume her popular seven-day schedule from Galveston later this month,” said Lars Ljoen, executive vice president of marine operations for Carnival said at the time.
The Carnival Vista is the second largest cruise ship in the Carnival fleet with a capacity of nearly 4,000 passengers and a length in excess of 300 meters.
The Boka Vanguard is said to be “unique” in that is has an open and flat stern and bow-less deck measuring 275 meters by 70 meters allowing the vessel to lift and transport cargo’s longer and wider than these deck dimensions.
