Huisman develops traveling quayside crane for offshore wind load-outs

Huisman's 700-tonne traveling quayside crane

Schiedam, Netherlands, headquartered Huisman Equipment BV has developed a 700 tonne traveling quayside crane for the load-out of offshore wind turbine components. It says that the move comes following rising demand for large, 2,600 tonne and 4,000 tonne Skyhook cranes for the load-out of foundation pieces and the installation of floating turbines.

Huisman says that with this 700 tonne traveling quayside crane, the load-out process of offshore wind turbine components can take place significantly faster compared to the regular methods that involve crawler cranes, or a tandem-lifting by two cranes with a capacity around 200 to 300 tonnes.

“We see a need in the offshore wind logistics market for increased efficiency in smaller ports in newly developed offshore wind areas,” says Cees van Veluw, product manager cranes at Huisman: “The traditional use of crawler cranes or multiple smaller quayside cranes would require a very large backyard. It also requires the transport vessel to be moored along the quayside for an unnecessarily long time. With this new 700 tonne Huisman traveling quayside crane, offshore wind ports can be ready for a quick load-out of turbine components in a sustainable manner.”

The new quayside crane has been designed as fully electric, allowing for a direct connection to the quayside power grid. This allows regenerative energy to be directed back into the utility grid, thus drastically limiting the net energy consumption of the crane. Huisman has been a frontrunner in the electrification of heavy lift cranes to optimize energy efficiency since 1984.

Although the crane is designed to travel on a track 16 meters wide, this can be adapted to local requirements. Capable of lifting 700 tonnest at a radius of 25 meters, the crane can bring many turbine components to any place in the hold of the majority of the cargo vessels currently used for turbine transportation. The ability to travel at decent speed with load in the hook enables a more flexible delivery schedule of components to the load-out quayside. This results in a more efficient use of the quayside and a quicker turnaround for the transportation vessel.

Other features of the new crane include:

• a dual main hoist, allowing for flexible rigging configurations without the need for an extensive portfolio of slings and grommets at hand

• 57 meter long boom, adjustable for other configurations

• cabin “eye level” at 33.5 meters height above the quayside

• optionally, the crane can be equipped with a “lift-off boost” system for increased speed

• design is adjustable for local requirements