The wind turbine installation vessel Brave Tern is nearing the completion of a significant upgrade at the Navantia Ferrol shipyard but has encountered an unexpected issue. During the final stages of testing, the vessel accidentally knocked over a 25-tonne crane on the quayside.
Originally built in 2012, Brave Tern was designed for smaller turbines. To adapt to the increasing size of nacelles and blades in the market, Fred. Olsen Windcarrier contracted Navantia for a major upgrade, including the installation of a new 1,600-tonne crane capable of handling turbines with a capacity of over 15 MW.
On Saturday morning at approximately 0800, while preparing to depart from the quay, the vessel’s large boom became caught on one of the quay’s mobile cranes, causing it to tip over onto a small barge. Fortunately, the crane’s cab and pedestal base remained above water, and there were no injuries. After briefly anchoring, Brave Tern returned to the pier, where it remained alongside as of Tuesday morning.
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