Semi-submersible heavy lift ships have a long and low well deck between a forward pilot house and an aft machinery space. In superficial appearance, it is somewhat similar to a dry bulker. Her ballast tanks can be flooded to lower the well deck below the water’s surface, allowing all type of vessels or other floating cargo to be moved into position for loading (float-on/float-off). The tanks are then pumped out, and the well deck rises to shoulder the load. To balance the cargo, the various tanks can be pumped unevenly.
Lately 2 vessels from the same Norwegian company called to Malta with the first on Wednesday 21st October the 1981 built but converted in 2006 was the EAGLE that entered around 0500 hrs berthing at Laboratory Wharf and left Valletta around 2130 hrs bound to anchorage OPL Malta.
Then on Tuesday 10th November the 1993 built but converted in 2014 was the ALBATROSS that anchored outside territorial waters for all services.
She was last seen at the start of November 2015 off Bunkering Area 6 where she loaded the jack up oil rig RALPH COFFMAN back to Tuesday 3rd November with the assistance of 4 tugs as seen below –
Watermarked Photos are by Capt. Lawrence Dalli otherwise stated. NO PHOTOS can be used or manipulated without our permission. © All rights reserved. Malta Ship Photos & Action Photos – www.maltashipphotos.com
Published – Tuesday 24th November, 2020.
