Crane Services News

International vessels have been trading in the Port of Charleston, S.C. for centuries. While Charleston is the sixth largest container port in the U.S., it is also home to Detyens Shipyards, Inc (DSI). In the past several years, DSI has seen an increase in the number of dry dock inquiries and bookings from International vessel operators. “In the last two quarters, we’ve dry docked eight internationally owned and operated vessels,” explained Peter Browne, Vice President of Estimating.

Cranes: much more than just critical equipment. At ZPMC, it means the supply chain itself. In post-Panamax world – that is to say one which includes an expanded, deepened and improved Panama Canal – there are many layers to the logistics onion. These include reinforced and improved berths and bollards, deepened blue water harbors, improved intermodal connections ashore and a reshuffling of ever larger tonnage for ports that can handle those ships. All of that is important, of course, but it is the post-Panamax sized cranes which may be the hottest commodity on the water as the race for the cargo reaches full speed. How those cranes are sourced and acquired may surprise you. It turns out that the global crane business is very much a ‘turnkey’ operation.

In order to streamline the Port Authority's technical and nautical departments and improve the service to customers, these departments are being centralised to form a joint cluster. Three large new facilities will be set up at the site on quays 602-612: a central workshop (for the technical services), a nautical building (for the tug, dredging and crane services) and two floating dry docks with widths of 45 and 55 metres respectively. Together the new cluster at quays 602-612 will employ around 500 people. At a later stage the site will also house the Shipping Police. The central workshops will then be expanded with an administrative and logistics complex. A budget of 50.1 million euros has been allocated to this centralisation and reorganisation project.

The tallest port crane in North America was recently raised to that height by ZPMC, which raised the crane 33 feet (10.08 meters) to prepare for Ultra-Large Container Vessels calling at APM Terminal’s Pier 400. In a landmark project that kicked off July 1, 2016, ZPMC NA is upgrading 10 cranes for APM Pier 400 Terminal. When complete, the cranes will be able to service ships carrying up to 20,000 twenty-foot equivalent containers (TEUs). Prior to this crane raise, the largest vessels that could be serviced at the Port of Los Angeles were 13,000 TEUs. The scope of work also includes installing a new energy-efficient LED lighting system, forestay repairs, and repositioning of all 10 cranes.

MetalCraft Marine Incorporated is a fully integrated designer and manufacturer of custom high performance fire, rescue, patrol, research, and other specialized work boats. The company is the North American industry leader in the design and manufacturing of high speed aluminum water-jet propelled craft. MetalCraft Marine designs and builds custom and semi-custom aluminum workboats, provides engineering and analysis using computer aided design, fit out of marine mechanical, hydraulic…

General Dynamics NASSCO has invested several hundred million in capital projects as part of its efforts to increase efficiencies via  modular shipbuilding, including: two 300-ton cranes allowing shipbuilders the ability to increase the size of the erectable blocks; a block assembly line to optimize construction of commercial ship blocks; inverted block and grand block outfit areas to more fully install components and equipment on blocks; and a state-of the-art, environmentally-friendly blast and paint facility to paint blocks indoors with high capacity equipment.

Bos Smith, Vice President, Operations, with Stevens Towing Co., Inc., Yonges Island, S.C., announces the delivery of Ocean Ranger, a 200’ X 72’ X 14’ ABS-classed floating crane barge. Stevens Towing, operating Ocean Ranger under Charleston Heavy Lift, will offer crane services in the Charleston, S.C., to Savannah, Ga., area. The barge was designed by The Shearer Group, Inc., Seabrook, Texas, and built by Metal Trades, Inc., of Yonges Island, S.C. Additional engineering for the crane boom and back-leg foundations and associated equipment was provided by TEEARC Engineering of Henderson, Nev.

Kalmar, part of Cargotec, has won an order to retrofit and upgrade two Hong Kong-based NDC ship-to-shore (STS) crane units for leading global waste management firm, SITA Waste Services Ltd. The order has been booked into Cargotec's 2013 second quarter order intake. The project, valued at more than €2 million, will be undertaken by Kalmar's specialist Crane Services team and it takes place at SITA's West Kowloon transfer station where the STS cranes are used for solid waste container handling. The complex refurbishment will commence in December 2013 - with delivery of all major components and materials - and is set for completion by the end of March 2014. Both STS cranes have been in operation for 15 years and their spare parts availability is limited.

Kalmar, part of Cargotec, completed the heightening of six quay cranes at MSC Home Terminal, which is the largest container terminal in the port of Antwerp, Belgium. The project, undertaken by Kalmar's specialist Crane Services team, facilitates the continued expansion of the port by making it possible to handle larger container ships. The project involved increasing the hoisting height of all the quay cranes from 38 meters to 42 meters above quay level. All modifications were…

Pacific Tugboat Service, a member of the Port of San Diego's Green Business Network, has converted its fleet of 20 vessels. Shore power, also known as cold ironing, is the process of switching from a ship's onboard diesel power supply to shore-based electrical power while the ship is at the dock. This process reduces polluting air emissions and noise levels from idling engines. "I think the Green Business Network taught us is that we're not just a small business trying to make a living on the Bay, but we're a neighbor," said Pacific Tugboat Service Vice President Stephen Frailey.

Organizational announcement -  NAM Marine - Regional Energy Solutions Manager. Energy efficiency is recognized as a global mandate by governments, maritime organizations & business, and has become a key driver of growth for ABB Marine & Cranes. Opportunities in energy efficiency increasingly require that we offer our clients innovative solutions combining ABB products and other elements from across the marine industry. ABB Marine & Cranes BU has organized a worldwide Marine Energy Services group and as part of this global initiative, they have announced that Eric W.

Barnhart Crane & Rigging Company began providing heavy lift barge crane services to cargo customers at the Port of Mobile. In the company’s first lift, the new 900T heavy lift crane transloaded to barge a 102 metric ton down coiler machine from Grieg Star Shipping’s vessel the M/V Star Grip. The lift operation took place at the Alabama State Port Authority’s Pier 2 terminal. Stevedore services were provided by CSA Stevedoring and Nord-Sud Shipping Inc., served as the vessel agent.

On Sept. 30, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Europe and Southwest Asia (NAVFAC EURSWA) awarded an $11.5 million contract modification for the Al Basrah (ABOT) and Khawr Al Amaya Oil Terminal (KAAOT) transfer platforms, located in the off the Iraqi shoreline. Work will include constructing a communications tower and installing generators on ABOT, as well as providing crane services and making structural repairs. Follow-on work early in FY09 will construct Containerized Living Units (CLUs) on ABOT to improve overall living conditions. URS-IAP LLC, of , was awarded a Design-Build Construction Modification 05 to task order N62470-06-D-6009-0003 of the Global Contingency Construction (GCC) contract for the Design-Build of Repairs and Improvements to ABOT and KAAOT.

Cargotec’s MacGREGOR business area providing marine cargo handling and offshore load handling solutions has signed an agreement to acquire US based Platform Crane Services International Inc (PCS). The sales of the company in 2007 were approximately USD 16 million and the company employs 105 persons. The transaction is subject to due diligence. The parties have agreed not to disclose the transaction value.

CSX World Terminals announced the promotion of Arno H. F. Dimmling to senior vice president and chief operating officer for CSX World Terminals, effective immediately. In his new role, Dimmling will oversee CSX World Terminals' operating policies and procedures and will direct the management of line operations in Europe, the Americas, Australia and Korea. CSX World Crane Services, CSXWT Operations Consulting and Information Technology will also have direct accountability to Dimmling is his new position. “Dimmling is an accomplished leader in the marine transportation industry who has been a valuable member of the executive team since the inception of CSX World Terminals in December of 1999, serving as vice president and chief operating officer.

Modulift, a modular spreader system has been utilized by Meade Crane Services Ltd. to assist in the transportation of the replica Viking ship, the Sea Stallion of Glendalough, to the National Museum at Collins Barracks in Dublin. Due to restricted access to the Museum, the operation involved lifting the 10-ton Viking ship over the top of the museums buildings, with the help of two Modulift spreaders. After setting sail from its home in Denmark, the Sea Stallion arrived in Dublin Docks, where Meade Crane Services Ltd. managed the logistics of several complex lifts to safely lift the vessel from the water and transport it to the Museum, where it will be on display until next summer.