Cranes for new monitoring vessel
The ‘Haithabu’ is the new water body monitoring ship of Schleswig-Holstein’s Government-Owned Company for Coastal Protection, National Parks and Ocean Protection. It comes equipped with numerous cranes that include PK 23500 M and PK 40002 M Palfinger Marine cranes.
Apart from water body monitoring, the ship also contains a laboratory, which is used to measure the oxygen content of the water samples, determine the quantities of plankton and perform many other tasks. In addition to this, the new multi-purpose ship is also involved in explosive tasks: The new Haithabu is also to be used to clear bombs. Unexploded bombs, sea mines, discarded ammunition and other dangerous materials from the Second World War are found again and again along Germany’s coast with the Baltic Sea. The ammunition is defused by divers from the bomb squad, and this is what the Palfinger Marine cranes are required for. They provide the divers with the necessary tools and material so that they can safely defuse the dangerous ammunition. The defused sea mines and unexploded bombs are then brought on board and transported for disposal.
Since environmental protection on the Baltic Sea is particularly important, the Haithabu can also be used to combat oil spills. The oil booms are positioned with the PK marine cranes. The smaller PK 23500 M is installed on the port side, and machine operator Rainer Züchting also enjoys using it in his daily work: “The crane can be controlled very accurately, and we often use it to position the gangway or move material on deck.” The PK 23500 M can lift a maximum of 10,000 kg with a working pressure of 300 bar and a range of 18.8 m. In spite of these figures, its dead weight is only 1,720 kg.
The larger PK 40002 M is installed on the starboard side and is used for the heavier jobs. This crane offers maximum manoeuvrability and can be equipped for any task with different pieces of additional equipment. Its maximum lifting capacity is 13,106 kg at a dead weight of 2,920 kg, and its maximum range is 24.8 m. The crane allows for continuous 360° rotation and can therefore manage all conceivable tasks without difficulty. Under the command of Captain Bent Ohlsen, the Haithabu completed its initial trips with flying colours and, together with the remaining crew members Chief Rüdiger Wöhm and First Petty Officer Kay Wilbrodt, will monitor the coastal waters off Germany’s coast with the Baltic Sea.
The Haithabu was built in the SET shipyard in Tangermünde and replaces the old, smaller Haithabu, that is now to be sold.
By Jake Frith
