Published by The Maritime Executive
Published by The Maritime Executive 2 Ton Chain Fall
Published by The Maritime Executive
Published Sep 30, 2023 10:18 PM by The Maritime Executive
In July 2023, GERMAN NAVAL YARDS in the north of Germany had the 600-ton hoisting ropes on their shipbuilding gantry crane – one of the biggest cranes in the country – upgraded by Konecranes Port Services. Because this upgrade replaces an older rope, the safety and reliability of the crane has been preserved for the future. GERMAN NAVAL YARDS is specialized in the building, repair, and maintenance of large and technically complex naval defense ships such as corvettes, frigates, and offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) for customers all over the world. Their Goliath gantry crane helps move assembly blocks to different work areas at every stage of the shipbuilding process. It also assembles sections into a finished ship in the mega dry dock. Wear and tear due to regular use require periodic replacement of the rope and comprehensive hoist maintenance, and they decided that a Konecranes rope upgrade would best suit their needs.
The Goliath crane has two 450-ton hoists for a maximum capacity of 900 tons, and a 600-ton hoist for lighter loads. Konecranes changed the two steel ropes, each with a diameter of 42mm and a length of 1,600m, on the 600-ton hoist. Konecranes also changed the rope pulleys in the upper and lower rope blocks of the hoist, and at the same time, serviced the upper and lower rope sheave blocks of the hoist and the overload device in the upper rope block. The performance of a crane depends on its rope Crane equipment usually lasts for decades. But even the best quality steel rope will eventually wear out as it is subjected to high levels of stress on every lift., Routine and systematic rope replacement is therefore essential to ensure maximum safety, maintain performance, and ultimately, extend the lifetime of the crane. “Spanning 157 meters, our Goliath crane is big enough to reach all the relevant halls and docks in our shipyard and is vital to our continuous workflow. So, it was difficult for us to find a time window to replace the ropes and the right supplier with the tools and expertise for this very specialized equipment,” says Gregor Urbanski, Manager Infrastructure, German Naval Yards Kiel. “Our Goliath is not a Konecranes machine, so they worked with us beforehand to develop the safest and most efficient rope change methodology with minimal downtime. We’re very satisfied with the results.” The first hoist is the main challenge All the hoists on the crane will need new ropes eventually, but to change the ropes on all three at once would cause a lot of downtime. It’s not safe or efficient to change the ropes on only one of the two 450-ton hoists that work in tandem. Therefore, Konecranes opted to make the change on the 600-ton hoist first to ensure the methodology was right. With the success of this rope upgrade, the Kiel shipyard has plans to upgrade the ropes on the other two hoists within the next two years, and Konecranes is at the top of the list of likely providers. “By replacing their crane ropes regularly, the Kiel shipyard demonstrates a long-term commitment to safety, reliability and performance,” says Dittmar Klotz, Site Manager, Konecranes Port Services. “Although we’d replaced the ropes on other cranes at the Kiel shipyard, this was the first time we’d worked on their Goliath crane. The technical requirements of the project underline Konecranes’ expertise, innovative solutions, and long experience in the maintenance of shipbuilding equipment, regardless of make, model or type of crane.”
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Published Dec 10, 2023 10:55 PM by The Maritime Executive
Ever since it ended the Black Sea Grain Initiative earlier this year, Russia has been determined to cripple Ukraine’s grain exports, and one of its tactics has been to lay sea mines targeting commercial ships. In recent months, at least three ships have been damaged by mines along the route, and Ukraine says the number could be as high as nine ships. To counter Russia’s covert mine-planting missions, which are aimed at deterring commercial shipping from serving Ukraine's grain export...
Published Dec 10, 2023 10:25 PM by The Maritime Executive
On Saturday night, a French warship shot down two drones over the Red Sea, adding to a growing list of encounters between Western warships and UAVs launched from Yemen. In a statement, the French general staff reported that the frigate Languedoc identified and destroyed "two identified threats" that were "headed straight towards her." The intercepts occured several hours apart, first at 2300 hours local time and then again at 0130 hours Sunday. The encounter occurred about 60 nm off the...
Published Dec 10, 2023 9:22 PM by BASS Software
[By Johannes Hapke, Business Analyst Manager at BASS Software Ltd.] In the complex world of maritime operations, the pursuit of efficiency can be a daunting task. Vessel crew and shore staff are often swamped with paperwork, are forced to rely on different reporting means and struggle to combine effectively information from various sources into one system. Such error-prone methods can fall short of the rapid decision-making required in today's maritime landscape and often result in stressed crew and shore staff...
Published Dec 10, 2023 5:10 PM by The Maritime Executive
The U.S. Coast Guard regularly intercepts Mexican fishermen operating illegally in American waters off the coast of Texas, but a series of busts on Saturday was more serious than usual. Working together with the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD), the service intercepted five lanchas and seized more than a ton of illegal catch. “Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing depletes our precious natural resources, disrupts our economy and threatens the marine environment,” said Coast Guard Capt. Hans Govertsen, commanding officer,...
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