The world’s second largest crane ship has made an appearance in Rhode Island

NEWPORT, R.I. — The world’s second largest crane ship has made an appearance in Rhode Island waters.

The SSCV Thialf, a towering semi-submersible crane vessel, arrived in Narragansett Bay earlier this week as it makes its way to New York. The Dutch-owned ship is the second-largest of its kind in the world, capable of lifting more than 14,000 tons.

At 472 feet tall, the vessel stands nearly 70 feet higher than the Newport Pell Bridge and has been hard to miss along the Rhode Island coastline. The Thialf stretches 661 feet in length with a 290-foot beam, making it a striking presence in the bay.

According to maritime tracking data, the vessel is expected to play a key role in the installation of the Empire Wind project, an offshore wind farm off the coast of New York. The project recently made headlines after a stop-work order issued by the Trump administration in April was reversed on May 19.

It’s currently unclear how long the Thialf will remain in Newport before continuing its journey south.

📷: @3zeroeight_pro