AL.SK350 uses heavy duty jib

Heavy lift and transportation specialist ALE has used its heavy-duty jib for the first time. It was used on its AL.SK350 crane, which ALE said is the world’s largest capacity land-based crane, to lift a 1,276 tonne floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) unit in in Lagos, Nigeria.

The AL.SK350 was rigged in its biggest configuration with a 124 metre A-frame main boom, a 49 m ballast radius, and the 38 m jib for additional outreach, along with a heavy winch system and 4,000 t ballast.

ALE’s new modular jib has a wide strut top that can be assembled in different configurations, can lift up to 3,400 tonnes and be configured up to 100 metres long.

“Following successful test lifts up to 3,403 t, using the jib configured with 100 m outreach, we were happy with the results and rigged the crane with a mast over 162 m long and the strut to a length of 35 m,” explained ALE senior design engineer Jan Oomen.

“As part of our continued commitment to innovation and foresight of increasing crane capacity, we developed our existing crane concept and fitted the heavy-duty jib and strut assembly. This jib’s unique design is like no other in the market and is the first time we have used this design along with the crane’s largest configuration, representing a major milestone for ALE,” added ALE project manager Ronnie Adams. “The jib’s patented design uses guylines going from the wide strut top to the narrow jib head to provide enormous side support, which also boosts the lifting capacity of the overall crane and extends outreach. As the yard has restricted space, the AL.SK350 is the ideal solution as it can be strategically positioned to lift from one location and reduce the overall project costs and schedule. Following the successful first lift, we look forward to continuing the lifting operations.”

ALE has been contracted to lift and install six modules from a yard onto their final position on the FPSO. The lift weights are between 335 tonnes and 3,000 tonnes and operations are expected to take place throughout March and April 2018.