Largest spreader beam from Modulift

Modulift has completed a spreader beam with a capacity of 1,500 tonnes and a span of 20 metres. It is the largest that the UK-based below the hook rigging and specialized engineering company has built.

The MOD 800X/1500 beam is for Netherlands-based marine equipment and service provider Safe Lifting Europe, a sister company of Euro Rope Nederland. Jacques Vroegop, Safe Lifting Europe technical director, said, “We are working in a market that is showing unlimited potential in terms of capacity; we could be talking about much heavier lifts becoming commonplace. At the moment we are working with cranes offering up to 1,000 tonnes capacity but we are in a very dynamic sector.”

It is the second spreader beam larger than 1,000 tonnes that UK-based Modulifthas made in recent weeks. Sue Spencer, Modulift technical director, said that customers are increasingly looking for modular solutions to upscale lifting activities on topsides, in particular to avoid limitations associated with fixed systems. Spencer also said she anticipated that the 800X/1500 beam would not be the company’s largest spreader for long, with the market showing an appetite to continue to upscale lifting capacities.

Sarah Spivey, Modulift managing director, said, “We have been aware of the potential at the super heavy end of the market for a long time - the middle remains quiet - and, like Sue, I don’t expect this to be our highest capacity beam for the long term. We have the engineering capability to go to 5,000 tonnes and the boundaries will continue to be pushed.”