The Saipem 7000, one of the world's largest semi-submersible crane vessels and the third-largest of its kind globally, successfully transited Türkiye's Bosphorus Strait on Wednesday during its journey from Libya to Romania.

The giant offshore construction vessel entered the Bosphorus at approximately 5:25 a.m. local time after departing from Libya's Bouri Port and heading toward the Romanian port city of Constanta. Due to its enormous size and complex operational requirements, the vessel was towed through the strategic waterway by the U.K.-flagged anchor handling vessel Pacific Discovery and the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged tugboat GH Discovery.

Measuring 198 meters in length, reaching a height of 135 meters and weighing 117,812 gross tons, the Saipem 7000 is considered one of the most advanced heavy-lift and offshore construction vessels in the world. Equipped with a powerful twin-crane system, it can lift structures weighing up to 14,000 tons in a single operation and lay natural gas pipelines at depths exceeding 2,000 meters.

Given the vessel's exceptional dimensions, Turkish maritime authorities implemented extensive safety measures throughout the transit. Tugboats, pilot teams and emergency response units accompanied the vessel as it navigated one of the world's busiest and most strategically important waterways.

At the southern entrance of the Bosphorus, the vessel was escorted by the Nene Hatun, Türkiye's largest emergency response, firefighting and search-and-rescue ship operated by the General Directorate of Coastal Safety.

To ensure a safe passage beneath Istanbul's suspension bridges, the Saipem 7000 undertook special preparations before entering the strait. The vessel took on ballast water and lowered its massive cranes and tower structures, reducing its overall height to approximately 57 meters, allowing it to clear the bridges safely.

Maritime traffic in the Bosphorus was temporarily suspended in both directions during the operation, highlighting the complexity of maneuvering one of the world's largest offshore construction vessels through the narrow and heavily trafficked channel.

Footage from the transit showed the colossal vessel moving steadily through the Bosphorus under close supervision as Turkish authorities coordinated the carefully planned operation.

The Saipem 7000 is widely recognized within the global offshore energy sector for its role in major subsea construction, heavy-lift and pipeline installation projects. The vessel has participated in some of the world's most challenging offshore engineering operations and remains a key asset in the development of energy infrastructure.

The vessel is also no stranger to Turkish waters. During the Blue Stream natural gas project connecting Russia and Türkiye beneath the Black Sea, the Saipem 7000 successfully laid a 24-inch pipeline at a record depth of 2,150 meters, a milestone that demonstrated its unique deep-water construction capabilities.

Its latest voyage through the Bosphorus once again showcased both the vessel's remarkable engineering features and Türkiye's ability to safely manage the transit of some of the world's largest maritime structures through one of the globe's most vital shipping corridors. (ILKHA)