Versabar’s VB 10,000 Heavy Lift Catamaran

The Versabar heavy lift vessel, the VB 10,000, was built in a span of 12 months and launched in October 2010 from Gulf Marine Fabricators in Ingleside, Texas. With a rated lift capacity of 7,500 tons, the VB 10,000 is the largest lift vessel ever built in the United States.

The VB 10,000 consists of two 240′ tall lift gantries joined to twin 300′ by 72′ barges to form a catamaran. The gantries are connected to the barges by patented articulated pins which decouple barge motion from the gantries. The vessel is equipped with a Class 3 DP system consisting of four 1,000 HP thrusters in each barge which enable it to maneuver on site and hold station in any water depth over 35 feet. The VB 10,000′s four 2,000-ton heavy lift blocks are paired with custom-engineered 400-ton hydraulic winches which may be operated independently or in a synchronized manner.