One of the most technologically advanced offshore construction jack-up ships in the world has been undertaking a heavy lift job in Stornoway .

The two-year-old, 147-metre long MV Innovation, was loading a huge weather station structure at the Arnish fabrication yard on Monday.

Its destination is the West of Dutton Sands wind farm, some 14km off Cumbria in the Irish Sea.

Once installed the weather station will monitor windspeeds around the 108 turbines at the Scottish Renewables and Dong Energy joint renewable 389 megawatt project which will generate green electricity for over 300,000 UK households.

Loading at Stornoway is takes place between low tides. A monopile structure was loaded on the rising tide at lunchtime and the ship anchored off in Glumaig Bay until high water last night (Mon) when she prepared to load the met station’s deck.

The German-owned and Polish-built 22,313 gross tonnage MV Innovation was built in 2012 to construct and maintain offshore wind farms, oil and gas facilities.

She is endowed with DP2 station-keeping capability, Friede-Gorman rack and pinion all-electric jacking system and 'Schottel' thruster propulsion system.

The powerful main deck 130-metre long Liebherr crane which revolves around the starboard after leg has been described as groundbreaking as it can lift a whacking 1,500 tonnes.

Given the crane’s huge dimensions, Liebherr had to alter the facilities of their production plant in Rostock, Germany, to manufacture it.

Her four legs can extend to a maximum of 65 metres to lift the vessel out of the water to create a stable platform for heavy lift construction.

World powerful crane giant ship in Stornoway 2/6/14

MV Innovation arrives in Stornoway Photo: John Matheson