Gallery: A2Sea vessel capsizes following grounding

DENMARK: A2Sea's jack-up crane vessel Sea Worker, which services the wind industry, has capsized off the coast of Denmark after it ran aground last week.

by David Weston 4 February 2016

  • A2Sea's Sea Worker vessel has capsized off the coast of Denmark

    A2Sea's Sea Worker vessel has capsized off the coast of Denmark

  • The ship was being transferred along the coast when the towline snapped, causing the vessel to drift and become grounded

    The ship was being transferred along the coast when the towline snapped, causing the vessel to drift and become grounded

  • Rough weather caused the vessel to overturn. Experts are monitoring the vessel to prevent any pollution in the sea

    Rough weather caused the vessel to overturn. Experts are monitoring the vessel to prevent any pollution in the sea

  • The 15-strong crew were rescued without injury. A2Sea said a full investigation is underway

    The 15-strong crew were rescued without injury. A2Sea said a full investigation is underway

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Pictures and video supplied by Søren Larsen, a crew member of the Danish Coastal Rescue Service

A2Sea said no pollution had been detected leaking from the vessel and the company said it is hoping to remove all oils and fuels from the ship as soon as weather allows.

The vessel supplier is co-owned by developer Dong Energy and turbine manufacturer Siemens. Its CEO Jens Frederik Hansen said the incident is "under full investigation", adding that nothing like this had happened to the company before.

Sea Worker was being towed along the Danish coast from Frederikshavn to Esbjerg in preparation for deployment at the Gode Wind project for use as an accommodation platform. Dong told “uåX˜äŠÊ˜·³Ç Offshore that it does not expect the incident to delay construction of the Gode Wind project. 

There was no cargo on the vessel before the incident.

On the night of 26-27 January, the towline between the Sea Worker and the tugboat broke. It drifted and eventually grounded off the Danish coast, just south of Hvide Sande.The weather window for the transfer was shorter than expected.

The 15-strong crew was evacuated without injury and taken to a nearby hotel.

As a result of the grounding, A2Sea said the jacking system had been "seriously damaged" and that it was unable to move the vessel.

Due to further adverse weather overnight of 2-3 February, the vessel then capsized and turned upside-down.

Crews from A2Sea, external specialists, and the Danish Navy are monitoring the situation.

The Sea Worker vessel has previously been deployed at the 576MW Gwynt y Mor offshore project in the Irish Sea and the 400MW Anholt project in the Danish North Sea.

It is 55.5m in length, 32.20m wide and capable of rising some 40m above the water surface on 73 metre long legs when installing wind turbine components.

Below is footage from the Danish Coastal Rescue Service of the vessel following its capsizing courtesy of Søren Larsen: