Big jobs for mini-cranes on AMT Trader
Mini-cranes were central in works to prepare AMT Trader to carry a massive QE Class aircraft carrier section.
Compact cranes supplied by the GGR Group’s Glasgow depot have been busy working for transportation specialists Henry Abram and Sons Ltd on one of the world’s largest barges, the AMT Trader, at the Govan Shipyard.
GGR Group was involved with preparations for the enormous AMT Trader barge to carry the first section of the Royal Navy’s new Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carrier, being built by BAE Systems. The new aircraft carrier section, which weighed 8,000 tons, was slowly transported upon the massive AMT Trader. It was one of the largest vessels ever to set sail on the Clyde, making a 600 mile journey to Rosyth in Fife, where the carrier is currently being assembled.
Mini crane specialist GGR Group was brought in to work on the project after originally being enlisted to help with maintenance work on the barge following its long return journey from the Gulf of Mexico. The barge required some modifications at Ferguson’ Shipyard on the Clyde. A seven ton capacity G70 ‘Pick and Carry’ crane, which is battery powered and highly maneuverable, was used to lift three ton steel plates through purpose cut slits in the deck to strengthen internal bulkheads.
The next step was to prepare the deck of the AMT Trader to carry the massive load of the carrier section. GGR Group was on hand to provide a compact ‘Pick and Carry’ crane to assist with lifting work on deck. GGR’s G150 pick and carry crane was used to lift and lay a pattern of steel grillage blocks, each weighing up to 13 tons, along the deck of the 146m long barge.
“The crane was used to pick, lift and place each grillage block with millimeter precision to ensure their alignment matched the profile of the new aircraft carrier section they were about to carry, said GGR Group’s Scottish regional manager Thomas Rae. “The G150 was chosen for its compact size, high maneuverability and heavy lifting capacity”.
The impressive aircraft carrier section had to be loaded onto the AMT Trader by ballasting the barge to match the tide levels on the Clyde, and rolling the carrier section onto the deck using computer controlled hydraulic, self elevating trailers. It took two weeks to secure the aircraft carrier onto the deck, ready to set sail down the Clyde and then round the north coast of Scotland via some of the most inhospitable waters in the UK.
Having successfully helped deliver the first hull section to Rosyth, where sections of the carrier built in shipyards around Britain are being brought together for assembly, the G150 pick and carry crane is now back on the AMT barge demobilising deck supports for rework and making ready for the next section of the Queen Elizabeth to be transported.
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