New generation of mobile offshore cranes

The increasing demand for high performance cranes with a heavy lift capacity in the offshore industry has been met by the introduction of the Spacelift MC 35000 DLS.

The Spacelift MC 35000 DLS, developed by Zwagerman International, has a mobile marine crane with a 1,500 tonne lifting capacity. Mounted on a pedestal foundation with a self-supporting foot frame, the heavy lift crane can be positioned on the deck of a barge or vessel.

The dynamic load system (DLS) dynamically enhances the load capacity of the crane. Four cylinders on the back of the crane are placed with bogies on an 18 metre diameter ring. The cylinders pull when a load is lifted and push when the crane is stationary to balance the counterweight. The capacity of the DLS is 1,000 tonnes and the counterweight is 450 tonnes. Together with the base structure of the crane this generates enough lifting moment for heavy lifts up to 1,500 tonnes.

With the universal base and the heavy duty double boom of 63 to 75 m, the maximum load moment of the crane can reach up to 21,000 tonne-metres, or 1,080 tonnes at a working radius of 20.5 metres. The 1,500 tonne main hoist is ideal for the installation of offshore wind foundations, de-commissioning or salvage of shipwrecks, the company said. The double boom can easily be changed to a 97 m or even 124 m long single boom.

The Spacelift MC 35000 DLS is installed on the Conquest MB I, a vessel owned by Conquest Offshore, and is the first heavy lift offshore crane in the world built to this design, the company claimed.